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Maryland governor's race has turned unexpectedly tight
[Washington Post] Lt. Gov. Anthony G. Brown crushed his Democratic primary competitors and told supporters that the general election would be "a little bit of a molehill" in comparison. In a state with more than twice as many Democrats as Republicans, a poll in the spring showed Brown 18 points ahead among registered voters in a theoretical matchup with Larry Hogan, the eventual Republican nominee.Hogan will take western Maryland and most of the Eastern Shore. Montgomery and Prince Georges counties will go for Brown. Baltimore city will make up any deficit required to turn the majority vote Dem. But Brown has struggled to combat Hogan's relentless criticism of tax increases enacted by his boss, Gov. Martin O'Malley ...Democratic governor of Maryland and aspiring presidential candidate, known locally as The One-Man Economic Wrecking Crew. O'Malley was elected to his second term driven by union support and near-Stalinesque vote margins in Baltimore city (82%) and Prince George's County (88%)... . While Hogan, an Anne Arundel County businessman, promises to boost Maryland's anemic economy and bring new jobs to the state, Brown has been slow to offer a compelling vision of what he would do differently from O'Malley, whose approval rating has plummeted. Hogan's folksy manner and we-can-do-better message has resonated with some Democrats and independents, especially white men, and is stirring excitement among Republicans. As the polls grew tighter this fall, showing Brown with only a single-digit lead over Hogan, national groups pumped money into the race, and top political figures lent their support. The Cook Political Report on Friday declared the race a "toss up," with Brown retaining a slight advantage, while Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight Web site still shows Brown as the strong favorite. If he wins, Brown will be Maryland's first African American governor and only the third elected in the nation. His campaign is in the final days of a massive and expensive outreach operation, making a special effort to mobilize African American voters, a key Democratic voting bloc. Posted by: Fred 2014-11-03 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=403356 |