O'Malley Leads Ehrlich In Rematch
MD Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) would defeat his predecessor, ex-Gov. Bob Ehrlich (R), if the GOPer decides to seek his old job, according to a new survey.
The poll, conducted by Gonzales Research & Marketing Strategies, an Annapolis-based firm, surveyed 816 RVs between Jan. 13-17 for a margin of error of +/- 3.5%. O'Malley and Ehrlich were tested.
General Election Matchup
All / Dem / GOP / Ind
O'Malley 48% / 73% / 8% / 39% (-1 from last, 9/09)
Ehrlich 39 / 16 / 81 / 36 (+1)
Despite a sometimes rocky 1st term, O'Malley remains largely popular throughout the state; 46% approve of the job he's doing, including a narrow plurality of indie voters, while 36% disapprove. That's up from a low of 37% approval, which came after a Nov. '07 special session.
And Ehrlich is not repeating the cross-party appeal he demonstrated when he won the state's top job in '02. That year, he earned 30% of the Dem vote, according to the pollster. This time around, he manages just half that.
Meanwhile, as in most states, the economy dominates voters' thinking. 54% said the economy is the most important issue facing the state, while just 11% cited health care and 10% said taxes. O'Malley holds a narrow lead among those who say the economy matters most and a 3-1 lead among those who said health care was most important. Ehrlich has a 74%-9% lead among those who singled out taxes as their top issue.
In heavily blue MD, O'Malley beat Ehrlich by a 53%-46% margin in '06.