O'Malley, Ehrlich in electoral dead heat

[Freddie Stubbs]

Survey finds voters split 40% for each in 2006 race; Duncan trails in potential match

By David Nitkin
Sun Staff
Originally published January 14, 2005

At the midpoint of his term, Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. is deadlocked with Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley in a potential match-up for governor in 2006, and nearly four in 10 registered voters say they are likely to vote against the incumbent regardless of his opposition, according to a Sun poll released today.

Democrat O'Malley and Republican Ehrlich each had the support of 40 percent of respondents in a telephone survey of 800 likely voters conducted last week by Potomac Inc. of Bethesda. Twenty percent were undecided.

In another scenario, Ehrlich would beat Democratic Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan, 44 to 31 percent, with 25 percent undecided.

Poll results show that a solid majority of voters - 54 percent - approve of the way the governor is handling his job, 31 percent disapprove and 15 percent aren't sure. Those figures have changed little over the past year.

more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/politics/bal-te.md.poll14jan14,1,1961690.story

[LiberalEsto]

1. As a Maryland Dem....

I pray our party leadership gets off its complacent ass and decides to really WORK to oust Ehrlich in 2006.

The biggest problem is that Maryland Democrats have had it far too easy in recent election years and have lost their fighting edge.

O'Malley needs to work on his name recognition outside the Baltimore area. I live in Doug Duncan country, and I just see Duncan as too beholden to the rich developers who are busily paving over Montgomery County.

[Debbi801]

2. Interesting. I know nothing about Duncan...

Although he is coming to my district's democratic meeting the end of January. I'm looking forward to seeing what he is about. But right now, I am supporting O'Malley.

Hopefully, 2006 brings changes.

[LiberalEsto]

3. Duncan was elected mayor of Rockville

while he was in his late 20s, I believe. He was then a hard-working, dynamic go-getter who helped transform Rockville into a model community with excellent social services, recreation, and senior programs, a strong human rights commission, and very responsive government services in general.

But since he's moved up to the county level, he's become more distant from average citizens and much more cozy with developers. He organized a big campaign against my County Council representative, Phil Andrews,in the last council elections because Phil was one of the few Democrats bravely opposing the controversial InterCounty Connector highway. Gov. Ehrlich and the wealthy developers badly want the ICC, but years of studies have shown it will negatively impact the environment and cost a small fortune, while not helping resolve our area's serious traffic problems.

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. Did Andrews get reelected anyway?

:shrug:

[DaveinMD]

7. Yes

I'm in the Duncan corner in Montgomery politics. Growth means more jobs. The anti-growth crowd wants to keep people out of the county. This will only lead to stagnation. Andrews was the only one targed by Duncan who survived.

[Zuni]

4. I am a big O'Malley supporter

and I think he has national potential. His 1st term as Baltimore Mayor has been fantastic---he has turned the city around after Schmoke's incompetent leadership

[LiberalEsto]

5. I'd love to know more about O'Malley

we get so little info on him here in Duncanworld.