POLL: O’Malley Leads Ehrlich by 13

As Voters Focus on Election, Ehrlich Sinks Below 40%

Baltimore, MD (September 11, 2006) – As voters prepare to head to the polls for tomorrow’s primary election, a new Wall Street Journal/Zogby Poll released today has Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley beating Bob Ehrlich by 12.9%. In the latest poll, O’Malley captures 52.5 percent, while the incumbent governor continues to sink statewide capturing just 39.6 percent of the vote.

“The Wall Street Journal findings are consistent with every other independent, public poll showing Martin O’Malley soundly defeating Bob Ehrlich,� said Hari Sevugan, communications director for the O’Malley/Brown campaign. “This poll shows that Bob Ehrlich’s Karl Rove-style tactics of division and fear are backfiring. The families of Maryland want a governor that will put Maryland families ahead of the special interests and George W. Bush.�

In this latest poll O’Malley has increased his lead over Bob Ehrlich by more than 3 percent. In a similar poll taken last month, O’Malley was beating Ehrlich by 9.8 percent.

Significantly, Bob Ehrlich has failed to break the all-important incumbent-threshold 50% mark in any statewide poll conducted to date. In fact, he has not even come close and in the latest poll he has dipped below the 40% threshold.

Despite millions spent on more than 3 months television ads, many of them negative attack ads, Bob Ehrlich’s numbers have actually gone down. A Wall Street Journal/Zogby poll conducted in July, 2006 showed Ehrlich capturing 42.2 percent of the vote, compared to O’Malley’s 51.3 percent. In August, the same poll found O’Malley defeating Ehrlich 52% to 42.2%.

The poll results can be found at http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/info-flash05a.html?project=elections06-ft&h=495&w=778&hasAd=1&mod=blogs

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Friends of Martin O’Malley – 2400 Boston St., Suite 203 – Baltimore, MD 21202 – 410-814-4206 – fax: 410-814-4218
Authority: Friends of Martin O’Malley, Martin F. Cadogan, Treasurer