MD-Gov: First Poll of the Race Shows O'Malley Ahead

[ccharles000]

Gonzales Research & Marketing Strategies (9/8-17, registered voters, no trendlines):

Martin O'Malley (D-inc): 49
Bob Ehrlich (R): 38
Undecided: 13

Martin O'Malley (D-inc): 52
Michael Steele (R): 37
Undecided: 11
(MoE: ±3.5%)

This looks to be the first poll of the Maryland gubernatorial race, and as you can see, Gov. Martin O'Malley is doing alright. (I'm not familiar with the pollster, Gonzales Research, but they do appear to survey the state of Maryland somewhat regularly.) The thing is, neither former Gov. Bob Ehrlich (the man O'Malley beat in 2006) nor current RNC chair, '06 Senate loser and former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele are actually running. Right now, the GOP only has a bunch of nobodies on their dance card.

Ehrlich, who has publicly remained mum, will supposedly announce a decision by the end of the year. I'd also be pretty shocked if the embarrassing goofball Steele would make a run for it (though if he gets shitcanned from his present job, who knows what boredom might lead him to do). Meanwhile, there've been some vague hints that O'Malley could face a primary challenge from Prince George's Co. Exec. Wayne Curry. Curry starts off with 60% not recognizing him (and 12/1 favorables), according to this poll.

For his part, O'Malley manages a 47/28 rating, which is pretty darn good for a sitting governor these days. Ehrlich is at 42/26 and Steele is at 40/34, but the MD GOP's fortunes have really taken a turn for the worse in recent years. A fundraising report from January showed the state Republican party with barely $1,200 in the bank (the Dems had over $865,000). And the Dem voter registration edge has grown about four points since the last gubernatorial race. This race would become a lot more competitive if Ehrlich got in, but Maryland is still a very blue state.

http://www.swingstateproject.com/diary/5624/mdgov-first-poll-of-the-race-shows-omalley-ahead

[Hawkeye-X]

1. Ehrlich and Steele?

Is that what MD GOP has to offer?

:rofl: