The 2006 Maryland gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Republican governor Bob Ehrlich ran for a second term, but was defeated by the Democratic nominee, Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley. Ehrlich was the only incumbent governor to lose a general election in the 2006 midterms.

Democratic primary

Candidates Martin O'Malley, Mayor of Baltimore

Campaign Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley and Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan emerged as the two Democratic candidates for governor in late 2005. Early polling indicated that O'Malley would have the advantage in both the Democratic primary and the general election, with a solid lead over Duncan in the primary and a several point lead over Ehrlich in the general.

As the gubernatorial campaign intensified, Duncan withdrew from the race, citing his diagnosis with clinical depression. In the same announcement, he threw his support behind O'Malley and declined to seek another office in the fall. No other Democratic candidate had announced, so O'Malley was unopposed in the primary election.

O'Malley selected Anthony Brown, a black State Delegate from Prince George's County and a veteran of the Iraq War, as his running mate.

Results

Republican primary

Candidates Bob Ehrlich, incumbent governor

Campaign Ehrlich sought a second term as governor and did not face opposition at any point in the Republican primary. Incumbent lieutenant governor Michael Steele ran for the U.S. Senate instead of seeking a second term as lieutenant governor, so Ehrlich named Maryland Secretary of Disabilities Kristen Cox, who is blind, as his running mate.

Results

General election

Candidates Martin O'Malley, Mayor of Baltimore (D) Bob Ehrlich, incumbent governor of Maryland (R) Ed Boyd, temporary employment agency recruiter (G) Christopher A. Driscoll (P)

Campaign Elected to his first term in 2002, incumbent Republican governor Bob Ehrlich ran for a second term as governor, opposed by the Democratic nominee, Martin O'Malley, the mayor of Baltimore. Both candidates emerged from uncontested primary elections and a contentious election season began.

Early in the campaign, Ehrlich boasted decent approval ratings from Maryland citizens, with a Gonzalez Research poll taken during October 2005 showing him with a 49% approval rating. and The Baltimore Sun poll from November 2005 giving the Governor a 50% approval and a 33% disapproval. However, the unpopularity of the national Republican Party and President George W. Bush dragged Ehrlich's re-election chances down.

Ehrlich launched attack ads that hit O'Malley on crime in Baltimore under his tenure as Mayor, calling the murder rate in Baltimore "awful" and "an embarrassment to the state of Maryland." O'Malley countered with one television ad that featured testimonials from local community leaders, Howard County Executive James N. Robey, Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith Jr. and another ad that attacked Ehrlich for breaking his promise to end parole for violent criminals.

The Washington Post and The Washington Times both endorsed Ehrlich in his bid for re-election, with the Times praising Ehrlich's "brand of moderate conservatism that offers a refreshing contrast" to the state's historically Democratic leanings and the Post called him "a generally proficient, pragmatic governor" and praised him for "successes on transportation, the environment and education."

In turn, The Baltimore Sun endorsed O'Malley, saying, "the progress under the mayor's tenure is clear and irrefutable", and that he addressed "rising crime, failing schools and shrinking economic prospects." O'Malley also called upon the praise given to him by TIME Magazine when they named him one of the country's "Top 5 Big City Mayors."

Predictions Source Ranking As of The Cook Political Report November 6, 2006 Sabato's Crystal Ball November 6, 2006 Rothenberg Political Report November 2, 2006 Real Clear Politics November 6, 2006

Polling Source Date MartinO'Malley (D) BobEhrlich (R)SurveyUSA November 5, 2006 50% 47%The Baltimore Sun/Potomac Inc. November 1, 2006 47% 46%The Wall Street Journal/Zogby October 31, 2006 49.3% 43.9%Public Opinion Strategies October 31, 2006 46% 45%Rasmussen October 30, 2006 50% 47%The Washington PostWashington Post October 29, 2006 55% 45%RasmussenRasmussen October 17, 2006 53% 45%USA Today/Gallup October 6, 2006 53% 41%The Baltimore Sun/Potomac Inc.Baltimore Sun/Potomac Inc. September 24, 2006 50% 44%Survey USA September 20, 2006 51% 44%RasmussenRasmussen September 20, 2006 49% 42%The Wall Street Journal/Zogby September 11, 2006 52.5% 39.6%The Wall Street Journal/Zogby August 28, 2006 52.0% 42.2%RasmussenRasmussen August 18, 2006 50% 43% August 14, 2006 41% 41%The Wall Street Journal/Zogby July 24, 2006 51.3% 42.2%RasmussenRasmussen July 17, 2006 49% 42%The Baltimore Sun/Potomac Inc. July 16, 2006 46% 38%The Washington PostThe Washington Post June 25, 2006 51% 40%The Wall Street Journal/Zogby June 21, 2006 53.1% 39.2%Opinion Works April 27, 2006 46% 37%RasmussenRasmussen April 21, 2006 51% 42%Gonzales Research April 18, 2006 46% 41%RasmussenRasmussen January 13, 2006 42% 47%The Wall Street Journal/Zogby January 13, 2006 53% 40%Rasmussen November 22, 2005 46% 40%The Baltimore Sun November 6, 2005 48% 33%The Baltimore Sun October 25, 2005 48% 42%Rasmussen July 18, 2005 41% 46%The Baltimore Sun April 17, 2005 45% 39%The Baltimore Sun January 2005 40% 40%

Results

Results by county CountyMartin O'MalleyDemocraticRobert EhrlichRepublicanVarious candidatesOther partiesMarginTotal votes cast # % # % # % # % Allegany 9,033 41.5% 12,424 57.1% 299 1.3% -3,391 -15.6% 21,756 Anne Arundel 78,909 42.0% 106,897 56.9% 2,117 1.1% -27,988 -14.9% 187,923 Baltimore 135,567 47.9% 143,970 50.9% 3,391 1.2% -8,403 -3.0% 282,928 Baltimore City 115,136 75.3% 34,554 22.6% 3,244 2.1% 80,582 52.7% 152,934 Calvert 12,519 41.7% 17,163 57.2% 319 1.1% -4,644 -15.5% 30,001 Caroline 2,947 32.5% 5,994 66.1% 133 1.5% -3,047 -33.6% 9,074 Carroll 18,227 29.0% 43,921 69.9% 653 1.1% -25,694 -40.9% 62,801 Cecil 11,750 41.0% 16,559 57.7% 366 1.4% -4,809 -16.7% 28,675 Charles 21,237 51.3% 19,757 47.7% 411 1.0% 1,480 3.6% 41,405 Dorchester 4,126 38.3% 6,529 60.7% 104 0.9% -2,403 -22.4% 10,759 Frederick 28,644 39.2% 43,536 59.6% 908 1.3% -14,892 -20.4% 73,088 Garrett 3,108 31.5% 6,642 67.2% 127 1.3% -3,534 -35.7% 9,877 Harford 32,490 35.6% 57,882 63.4% 965 1.1% -25,392 -27.8% 91,337 Howard 52,651 49.8% 51,974 49.1% 1,125 1.0% 677 0.7% 105,750 Kent 3,484 43.9% 4,369 55.0% 89 1.1% -885 -11.1% 7,942 Montgomery 190,873 62.4% 112,071 36.7% 2,787 1.0% 78,802 25.7% 305,731 Prince George's 162,899 78.6% 42,514 20.5% 1,713 0.8% 120,385 58.1% 207,126 Queen Anne's 5,859 32.4% 12,054 66.7% 146 0.8% -6,195 -34.3% 18,059 Somerset 2,691 39.8% 3,999 59.2% 65 1.0% -1,308 -19.4% 6,755 St. Mary's 11,516 40.2% 16,683 58.3% 434 1.5% -5,167 -18.1% 28,633 Talbot 5,669 35.8% 10,062 63.6% 102 0.6% -4,393 -27.8% 15,833 Washington 15,722 37.9% 25,157 60.7% 578 1.4% -9,435 -22.8% 41,457 Wicomico 10,214 36.2% 17,678 62.7% 317 1.1% -7,464 -26.5% 28,209 Worcester 7,008 34.6% 13,075 64.5% 180 0.9% -6,067 -29.9% 20,263Totals942,27952.7%825,46446.2%20,5731.2%116,8156.5%1,788,316 Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic Charles (largest municipality: Waldorf) Howard (largest municipality: Columbia)

References

External links Official list of candidates provided by the State of Maryland Board of Elections Official re-election website of Governor Ehrlich Official election website of Martin O'Malley