BRIAN WITTE
Associated Press

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Two Republican candidates in Maryland’s GOP primary for governor are complaining about an opponent’s use of a grass-roots group in his campaign.

Del. Ron George and Harford County Executive David Craig said Wednesday they filed a formal complaint with the state elections board about what they say is improper coordination between Larry Hogan’s campaign and a group called Change Maryland. They are criticizing contributions to the group as improperly benefiting Hogan’s campaign.

But Hogan’s campaign says the allegations are “utterly absurd and patently false.”

The campaign says it sought guidance from the elections board before Hogan announced his campaign about how Change Maryland could interface with it, and the campaign bought assets of the group like campaigns do for mailing or contact lists from any other organization.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.