New reports suggest that former Maryland governor Robert Ehrlich is gearing up for a rematch against Gov. Martin O'Malley in this year's governor's race. Ehrlich is expected to formally announce his intention to run on April 7, and political analysts are calling it an attempt at a comeback.
When Ehrlich and O'Malley first faced off in 2002, O'Malley walked away the winner, but times have changed and O'Malley was forced to make tough budget decisions as Maryland felt the effects of the recession. Local media personality Troy Johnson says, "What O'Malley had to do isn't popular," referring to budget cuts.
The state's budget and spending have been issues Ehrlich and O'Malley have sparred over, even after Ehrlich left office. (Ehrlich went on to practice law and host his own radio show.) Johnson, a former radio host, says having a radio show "... allowed him to stay in the conversation, step out in front of people, test his platform, sharpen his message, and express his concerns about O'Malley as governor."
Others, including Aprill O. Turner, a Washington-based political consultant who has worked on local and national campaigns, agrees that this will make Ehrlich a formidable opponent. She says, "We must remember that O'Malley ousted him in the 2006 election by a 6-point margin, so whatever happens, it will be a closely watched and contested race.
Many pollsters will have this race in their "toss-up" category." Toss up or not, this will be a race to watch.