In a few hours, the Washington Post will release a new poll on Maryland’s governor’s race, which has seemed like a pretty close contest between Democrat incumbent Martin O’Malley and Republican former governor Bob Ehrlich. But there’s other news tucked in the top here:
News that President Obama will hit the campaign trail in Maryland next week in support of Martin O’Malley is sure to buoy Democratic hopes of retaining the governorship. But should it?
A new Washington Post poll in the state reveals evidence for either answer.
Obama scored a dominant victory in Maryland two years ago, thumping Republican John S. McCain by a wide, 62 percent to 37 percent margin. And the new poll shows the president is still broadly popular – 61 percent of all registered voters in the heavily Democratic state say they approve of the way he is doing the job.
At the same time, voters overwhelmingly say the president won’t be a factor in their choice between O’Malley and former-governor Bob Ehrlich, his Republican challenger.
Some 17 percent of all voters say their vote for the state’s top job will be, in part, to express support for Obama; 11 percent say one reason for their vote will be to oppose the president. Most, 70 percent, say their views of the president won’t influence their vote.
I suppose the ease of the commute explains it in part, but… President Obama is going to Maryland? Really? Three weeks from Election Day?