[img_assist|nid=3951|title=|desc=U.S. Rep. Tom Cole|link=none|align=left|width=201|height=261]U.S. Rep. Tom Cole (R-Oklahoma), the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, will join Republican Andy Harris for a fundraiser in Baltimore on Thursday.

Harris, a state Senator from Cockeysville, is currently running against Democrat Frank Kratovil, the Queen Anne's County state's Attorney, for Maryland's open 1st Congressional District seat.

The fundraiser will be held at Aldo's Italian Restaurant in Baltimore's Little Italy. The restaurant's owner, Sergio Vitale (R-Glen Arm), has expressed an interest in obtaining Harris's seat in the state Senate should he win in November. Vitale has already been aggressively fundraising for Harris and his own unofficial campaign.

If Harris wins, Vitale would have to be approved by the respective counties' central committees in the district to fill the empty spot. In addition to Vitale, former Del. Al Redmer (R-Baltimore County) and Del. J.B. Jennings (R-Baltimore/Harford County) have their sights on the seat. The 7th District state Senate seat encompasses portions of Harford and Baltimore Counties.

The fundraiser, scheduled for noon, will be priced at $500 per head.