"Maryland’s rural counties, where services are sporadic" Reaching out to the rural area? Only if it is politically helpful to them. I think they still function under the old goveners (Schaffer) ideology who called the areas outside of Balt. and the DC suburbs something like 'hicks with a s**thouse mentality. For the most part they don't need those areas to vote them in and will help them if it helps themselves - as this must be doing now.- but glad they are doing it anyway.