Ehrlich to Run for Governor of Maryland

George Wenschhof

After months of speculation, ABC 7 News is reporting Republican Robert Ehrlich will run for Governor to reclaim the seat he lost four years ago. According to sources, the announcement will be in Rockville, Maryland on April 7, followed by an event in Arbutus; his childhood home.

For the last several months, the Maryland Democratic Party has been lobbing shells at an expected Ehrlich campaign, including the airing of the video below. in addition, the Maryland Democratic Party has set up a website BobEhrlich.org which is sure to confuse some voters as it is an anti-Ehrlich website.



Maryland Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley defeated incumbent Governor Ehrlich in the 2006 election. Interestingly, it was voting results from Baltimore County in 2002 that helped Ehrlich defeat the Democratic candidate in 2002; Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.

I worked on that campaign in 2002 and arranged the western Maryland announcement event in Frederick, Maryland of her Lt. Governor selection; Admiral Charles R. Larson. A choice, I and many others disagreed, preferring instead an established African-American state politician.

The campaign was also top heavy managed by Alan H. Fleischman who advocated muzzling Ms. Townsend as her speaking skills were not so dynamic. I disagreed and found her to be articulate with a genuine concern about the issues in my conversations with her.

Her campaign was also very heavy handed when it came to discouraging other Democrats from entering the race. Some speculate it was the handling of then Baltimore County Executive Dutch Ruppensberger (D) - who had entertained thoughts of running for Governor - that resulted in the vote count for Ehrich from Baltimore County which contributed to his narrow 51% - 48% victory in the Governor's race in 2002. He is now Representative Ruppensberger in Maryland district 2.

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, on the other hand has an excellent campaign organization, believes in an entire state campaign strategy and his Lt. Governor; Anthony Brown is well liked across the state. He narrowed the margins of vote loss in congressional districts one and six and won Baltimore County when he beat Ehrlich in the 2006 election. You can access the O'Malley for Governor campaign website here.

Look to see Ehrich attack based on the horrible world wide economy, the O'Malley administration efforts to balance the budget and the less than satisfactory roll out of slots in Maryland.

Stay Tuned...

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