Why? He's a terrific legislator - proved in the Maryland state legislature as a guy who can get things done, round up the votes and work in a majority party to stay on top and ahead of the opposition.
He's as clean as any guy in his position I've ever seen.
My wife is an officer in our local chapter of the National Organzation of Women. They hosted an awards dinner when Van Hollen first was trying to unseat Connie Morella, who won that very NOW award the previous year.
I had dinner with Van Hollen that night and on other occasions. I found him such a standout on the issues, and such a knowledgeable lawyer and legislator on the process of lawmaking. My wife and I got the NOW chapter and then the State NOW to endorse him.
He's an example of the kind of person Democrats have to find to run -- quite apart from the obvious political considerations operating here.