Day By Day

Monday, April 18, 2005

Maryland Politics Update

Latest polls by the Baltimore Sun show that Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley holds a slight edge over Governor Ehrlich but that Ehrlich's job approval and favorability ratings are still above 50%. All things considered this looks pretty good for Ehrlich.

Read the story here. David Wissing over at Hedgehog Report has been following the polls over the last several months. They tend to fluctuate a lot with about 20% undecided.

On the senatorial side:
Former NAACP head Kweisi Mfume has the edge against the other prominent Democrats hoping to replace U.S. Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes, but Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele would run neck and neck against any of them in the 2006 election, the new Sun Poll shows.

Mfume - a former congressman - would have a narrow lead over Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin and a large edge over Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Montgomery County if the primary were held now.

But in a matchup against the Republican lieutenant governor, Cardin, who is popular among the suburban Baltimore voters crucial to statewide Republican candidates, would fare best, edging Steele by 4 points. Against the other two Democrats, Steele was in a statistical tie in the telephone poll conducted April 11-13.

Read the whole story here.

The Baltimore Reporter, citing a WBAL report, writes that:
Ben Cardin Senate Run All But Official

Cardin’s district...covers protions of Baltimore County as well as Howard and Anne Arundel County.... Republicans have to win these counties if they have any chance of winning statewide. Cardin.... makes it difficult for Republicans to be able to win statewide since Cardin has a strong base in these counties.

Read his analysis here.

He, like Wissing, feels that:
The biggest problem the Maryland GOP actually has, regardless of the Democratic candidate, is that, unless Michael Steele runs, they have no shot whatsoever….

I agree. Steele is the only Republican candidate who runs even with or ahead of the Democrats. Interestingly, his chances are better if the Democrats run Mfumi than if they put up a white candidate.

Things are beginning to heat up. The coming months should be interesting.

Stay tuned....

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