Afzali In, Mooney Out in 6th District Race

State GOP Chairman Alexander X. Mooney will not run to unseat U.S. Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett in the 6th Congressional District.

Instead, the former state senator will back Bartlett in his run for an 11th term, the Hagerstown Herald-Mail reported Tuesday.

Mooney’s decision contradicts recent signs that he would run, including forming an exploratory committee that included delegates Neil C. Parrott (R-Dist. 2B) of Hagerstown and Michael J. Hough (R-Dist. 3B) of Brunswick and former Montgomery County school board candidate Martha Schaerr. His exploratory committee announced Friday that it had raised more than $108,000, a move that didn’t go over well with some Republicans.

The website for Mooney’s exploratory committee was still set up to accept contributions as of Tuesday night.

Meanwhile, Maryland Juice reported Tuesday that Del. Kathryn L. Afzali (R-Dist. 4A) of Middletown would go “carpetbagging” to challenge Bartlett.

In an email announcement on Tuesday morning posted by Maryland Juice, Afzali cast herself as “the right Republican” for the job. Afzali wrote that she “will appeal to independents” and be “able to cross party lines collaboratively,” giving her a level of electability in the general election that other Republican candidates lack.

Afzali is the latest in .

The filing deadline for all offices on the 2012 primary ballot is 9 p.m. today.

Click here for a list of filed candidates.

Maryland’s primaries will be held on April 3.