O'Malley beats Ehrlich in job growth vs. the nation

Any assessment of the relative economic records of Bob Ehrlich and Martin O’Malley should begin by taking those records in context of the national economy. A rising tide tends to lift all boats, and a falling tide tends to lower them. As a result, the effect of leadership is properly measured by examining how Maryland has fared relative to the rest of the United States under each governor.

Clearly, the recent downturn in the U.S. economy was caused by factors that had little to do with anything specific to Maryland - weak lending standards, mismanaged financial companies, and the collapse of a national housing bubble. There was no way for Maryland to sidestep what happened to the rest of the nation.

However, while the U.S. economy has clearly suffered a significant downturn in recent years, the Maryland economy has been much more resilient. The performance of Maryland's economy, compared with the rest of the nation, can be seen by looking at the number of jobs in Maryland as a percentage of total U.S. jobs (non-farm payroll employment). Under Bob Ehrlich, Maryland's job share fell persistently relative to the rest of the nation. In contrast, Maryland's share of the nation's jobs has increased significantly during Martin O’Malley’s term.