Earth To Bob Ehrlich: Maryland Sixth Bluest U.S. State
The buzz around this week's meeting of the Republican National Committee in Washington is that former Maryland Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. has been bragging about recent polling that shows him with 61 percent voter approval in the state.
But before the Republican decides to jump into a rematch next year with Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley, he might want to take a look at some other numbers, just released by the Gallup organization.
The independent, nonpartisan polling operation took a long look at the leanings of all 50 states and the District of Columbia and ranked Maryland as the sixth most Democratic state in the nation.
The rankings were based on more than 350,000 telephone interviews, in which Americans were asked which party they identify with or lean toward.
In Maryland, Democrats held a lopsided 26-point advantage in party affiliation over the Republicans, a finding that probably doen't come as much of a shock to Ehrlich or astute readers of this blog.
In ranking the top ten Democratic states, Maryland tied with Connecticut for sixth, behind Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Vermont and New York. The District of Columbia, which is in a class by itself, had a 75 percent Democratic advantage.
Only five states were rated as solidly Republican by Gallup, led by Utah, which tilts Republicans by a 23 percentage point margin.
The entire report can be found here.
Comments
Paul, what is the point of your blog. You counter one poll with another but when Ehrlich run he knew he always faced an uphill battle due to the number of democrats in the state. More importantly I believe a number of democrats, like myself, are sick of a one party rule and will make a change in 2010.
Posted by: Former Democrat | January 30, 2009 9:58 AM
You fail to mention that Connecticut, Rhode Island, Hawaii, and Vermont have GOP governors right now. Moreover, Massachusetts just elected its first Democrat governor in more than 15 years. So your logic is a bit flawed there, Paul
Posted by: Ryan | January 30, 2009 10:09 AM
Sure Maryland is blue, but what's new? It isn't like this is startling news after Maryland overwhelmingly voted for Obama. The difference is that MD Democrats WILL consider a moderate and fiscally conservative Republican, especially when their other choice is Martin O'Malley (who passed the largest tax hike in MD history). MD is a blue state, but it is a blue-dog state. Blue dogs don't like super-taxers like Martin O'Malley. They want balance-- a Democratic legislature and R Governor because they know it is good for the country.
Posted by: Joe | January 30, 2009 10:59 AM
Ehrlich needs to stop clouding peoples minds about his time in Annapolis. How quick you forget the "fees" he added to things instead of calling them taxes. Also, remember the perotected land on the Eastern Shore he was going to sell to some cronies to building expensive homes and condos on before he got caught.
Posted by: JoAnn | January 30, 2009 11:14 AM
Were all these phone calls made in Baltimore City?
Posted by: Anne | January 30, 2009 11:16 AM
In other shocking news, water is wet!
Posted by: Evan | January 30, 2009 11:47 AM
As an Independent I would rather have
Ehrlich in office than OweMalley.
I trust Ehrlich.
I have no faith in OweMalley, Miller nor Busch!
Posted by: jay | January 30, 2009 12:10 PM
"But before the Republican decides to jump into a rematch next year..."
Yeah, I guess the Republican party just shouldn't run anyone, 'cause, ya know, it's a blue stae, and O'Malley's just going to win anyway. Why waste your time? Why bother? Because we know that EVERYONE ALWAYS votes party line.
Posted by: Rico | January 30, 2009 12:58 PM
Ehrlich needs to stop clouding peoples minds about his time in Annapolis. How quick you forget the "fees" he added to things instead of calling them taxes. Also, remember the perotected land on the Eastern Shore he was going to sell to some cronies to building expensive homes and condos on before he got caught.
How about this one-
83 percent of Maryland residents
will see your state tax burden go down and number 2 on Omalley's lies list-
I will fix your BGE bill!
Stick that in your pipe Joanne!
Posted by: jay | January 30, 2009 3:14 PM
I remember that Erhlich's approval rating in November, 2006 was about 60% when he LOST that election, so this shouldn't be big news. His big approval rating sure didn't help Andy Harris last fall, either. Bob is a good man, but he can be polarizing. It's still hard to tell with him if the reason he won in 2002 was only because of his weak opponent.
Posted by: Paul | January 30, 2009 6:08 PM
Endorsements don't win elections and if Ehrlich thought Andy Harris' loss was a result of his popularity then he doesn't know politics. Besides, Harris was far more conservative than Ehrlich or Gilchrest. Apples and oranges.
Ehrlich did have a weak opponent in 2002. He had an opponent who promised the world and flipped on every promise in 2006. 2010 depends on Obama's popularity, O'Malley's popularity (wont be much different than today) and Ehrlich's ability to not just be Bob Ehrlich of 2006, but to be someone new with fresh ideas and solutions to the problems Maryland faces. I, for one, think he can do it.
Posted by: James | January 30, 2009 8:43 PM
There is also someone else thinking about running against O''Malley.
Mike Pappas
Posted by: Sidney | January 31, 2009 8:35 AM
I would love Ehrlich to run again. It is the first time I did not feel totally shafted by a Gov since Schaffer. I respect a man who can speak his mind and not kiss everyones rear to get a vote. If Ehrlich does not run I will probally put my cat up for election. I would rather vote for him ( my cat) then O' Taxey.
Maybe some other pets could fill Mike Busch and Mike Millers spots. Can't do any worse!
Posted by: kayleemackenzie | February 1, 2009 12:21 PM