'09 Results May Push Ehrlich Toward Re-Match

[ccharles000]

Big wins for the GOP in last week's gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey may have been a tipping point for another Beltway-area Republican considering a run in 2010: Bob Ehrlich.

The former Maryland governor has said he's strongly considering a rematch against Martin O'Malley, the former Baltimore mayor who beat Ehrlich in a hard-fought 2006 campaign. The huge swing of independents toward the GOP in Virginia and New Jersey last week is just the kind of news Ehrlich was looking for.

"Independents, as you know, pretty much decide races these days," Ehrlich told his hometown Arbutus Times this week. Ehrlich, who in 2002 made history by becoming the Old Line State's first Republican governor in four decades, was especially encouraged by GOPer Chris Christie's victory in strongly Democratic New Jersey. "It's a blue state, a lot of labor, very organized Democratic Party, so it's a tough state for Republicans to win. So Christie winning there, it's a pretty big deal," Ehrlich said.

Two other, lesser-known Republicans have been preparing for a potential run in Maryland, but both have said they would defer to Ehrlich, who enjoyed strong favorable ratings even as he lost his re-election bid. One state Republican who is running for Congress in 2010 speculated the odds were now better than even that Mr. Ehrlich would make the race.

Even with GOP victories this fall, success in Maryland is far from guaranteed in 2010. A Clarus Poll released this week showed O'Malley leading Ehrlich 47-40 in a hypothetical matchup. But like other incumbents in both parties, Gov. O'Malley might find himself weighed down next year by a still-bad economy, offsetting any partisan advantage in the heavily-Democratic state. If Team O'Malley is worried, though, his campaign manager didn't let on in a memo to supporters this week. "Frankly, it doesn't matter who the Republicans settle on. We'll be prepared for them, and we will beat them," Tom Russell wrote.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/politics_nation/2009/11/09_results_may_push_ehrlich_to.html

[Bleacher Creature]

1. As a proud Marylander, let me be the first to say: BRING IT ON!

I would love to beat that loser again. It still won't make up for having to put up with him from 2003 to 2007, but it will help.

Remember, he's the one who gave the country Michael Steele.

[Baltoman991]

2. I agree!!!

Beating him again will be easy in my opinion.

[Bitwit1234]

3. You are being too kind he was a dope dope dope

if he thinks he can beat O'Malley after the mess he left, he is stupider than you would think. Even the republicans were crying because they voted for him. And the democrats know all his tricks and the stuff he pulled at the polls and it won't happen again.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

6. I hope you're right about that. Though his/Steele's election shenanigans received some press,

I don't think people are as attuned to exactly what happened that day. It was racist. Disgusting! I can't believe that they actually got away with that.

[yellowcanine]

4. I have a message for Bobby Erlich - Bring it on. We ain't Virginia in 2009.

By election day 2010 Maryland will be in fairly decent shape economy wise. We will have an incumbent governor who will be seen as having successfully brought Maryland through the recession. And the Democratic advantage is even greater than when O'Malley beat Ehrlich the first time. It is also a Congressional election year so there will be a lot more incentive for a good turnout. Both the NJ and VA races were extremely low turnout - always more favorable to Republicans.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

5. Another proud Marylander who is absolutely terrified of that notion. O'Malley ain't that

popular here. In fact, he's been quite ineffective.