Maryland Politics Gets Love Too

Despite the fact that I no longer live there, I pay more attention to Pennsylvania politics than I do Maryland politics. Maybe because it's because PA is a swing state. Maybe it's because I know more about Keystone State Politcs. Either way, here's some info on the state of national politics in the state in which I currently reside.

The Senate race, via the Baltimore Sun:

Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley is maintaining his lead over Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. in the race for Maryland governor, a new poll for The Sun shows, having countered a barrage of critical commercials expected to intensify over the six weeks until Election Day.

Still, Ehrlich, a Republican seeking re-election, remains a popular figure in a state where Democrats outnumber the GOP by about 2-to-1. Voters give Ehrlich and O'Malley - both 40-something telegenic politicians - about equal marks on leadership and ability to move the state forward, suggesting that the contest could wind up very close.

O'Malley, a Democrat, has a 6-percentage-point lead among likely voters, 50 percent to 44 percent, about the same margin he held over the Republican incumbent in July. But it is a much smaller advantage than the double-digit leads he held last year before Ehrlich began campaigning in earnest.

The Governor's Race, also from the Baltimore Sun:

With a down-to-the-wire primary behind him, Democratic Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin enters the U.S. Senate general election contest with an 11-point lead over his rival, Republican Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele, according to a new poll for The Sun.

Six weeks before the November vote, Cardin leads Steele, 51 percent to 40 percent, according to the statewide survey of 815 likely voters. But with Republican and Democratic parties expected to flood the state with money and appearances in the weeks to come, the race remains volatile.

So there you go. Steele is doing better among African Americans than your average (white) Republican would do, but both races have Democrats leading.

Maryland politics is actually pretty similar to Pennsylvania politics. There's a Baltimore node, a DC suburbs node, and the rural remainder. PA has the Philly node, the Pittsburgh node, and a somewhat larger rural remainder.

Now nobody can say that Maryland didn't get it's fair share.

Ben Cardin Michael Steele Martin O'Malley Bob Ehrlich Maryland 2006 Election