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2006 Maryland gubernatorial election

← 2002 November 7, 2006 2010 →
Turnout	57.53% 4.32%
Nominee Martin O'Malley Bob Ehrlich Party Democratic Republican Running mate Anthony Brown Kristen Cox Popular vote 942,279 825,464 Percentage 52.69% 46.16%
County results O'Malley:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Ehrlich:      50–60%      60–70%
Governor before election Bob Ehrlich Republican Elected Governor Martin O'Malley Democratic

Elections in Maryland
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Government
v t e

The 2006 Maryland gubernatorial election was held on November 7, 2006. Incumbent Republican governor Bob Ehrlich ran for a second term, but was defeated by the Democratic nominee, Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley. Ehrlich was the only incumbent governor from either party to lose a general election in the 2006 midterms.

Democratic primary

Candidates

• Martin O'Malley, Mayor of Baltimore

Campaign

Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley and Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan emerged as the two Democratic candidates for governor in late 2005. Early polling indicated that O'Malley would have the advantage in both the Democratic primary and the general election, with a solid lead over Duncan in the primary and a several point lead over Ehrlich in the general.

As the gubernatorial campaign intensified, Duncan withdrew from the race, citing his diagnosis with clinical depression. In the same announcement, he threw his support behind O'Malley and declined to seek another office in the fall. No other Democratic candidate had announced, so O'Malley was unopposed in the primary election.

O'Malley selected Anthony Brown, a black State Delegate from Prince George's County and a veteran of the Iraq War, as his running mate.

Results

Republican primary

Candidates

• Bob Ehrlich, incumbent governor

Campaign

Ehrlich sought a second term as governor and did not face opposition at any point in the Republican primary. Incumbent lieutenant governor Michael Steele ran for the U.S. Senate instead of seeking a second term as lieutenant governor, so Ehrlich named Maryland Secretary of Disabilities Kristen Cox, who is blind, as his running mate.

Results

General election

Candidates

• Martin O'Malley, Mayor of Baltimore (D)
• Bob Ehrlich, incumbent governor of Maryland (R)
• Ed Boyd, temporary employment agency recruiter (G)
• Christopher A. Driscoll (P)

Campaign

Elected to his first term in 2002, incumbent Republican governor Bob Ehrlich ran for a second term as governor, opposed by the Democratic nominee, Martin O'Malley, the mayor of Baltimore. Both candidates emerged from uncontested primary elections and a contentious election season began.

Early in the campaign, Ehrlich boasted decent approval ratings from Maryland citizens, with a Gonzalez Research poll taken during October 2005 showing him with a 49% approval rating. and a Baltimore Sun poll from November 2005 giving the Governor a 50% approval and a 33% disapproval. However, the unpopularity of the national Republican Party and President George W. Bush dragged Ehrlich's re-election chances down.

Ehrlich launched attack ads that hit O'Malley on crime in Baltimore under his tenure as Mayor, calling the murder rate in Baltimore "awful" and "an embarrassment to the state of Maryland." O'Malley countered with one television ad that featured testimonials from local community leaders, Howard County Executive James N. Robey, Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith Jr. and another ad that attacked Ehrlich for breaking his promise to end parole for violent criminals.

The Washington Post and The Washington Times both endorsed Ehrlich in his bid for re-election, with the Times praising Ehrlich's "brand of moderate conservatism that offers a refreshing contrast" to the state's historically Democratic leanings and the Post called him "a generally proficient, pragmatic governor" and praised him for "successes on transportation, the environment and education."

In turn, The Baltimore Sun endorsed O'Malley, saying, "the progress under the mayor's tenure is clear and irrefutable", and that he addressed "rising crime, failing schools and shrinking economic prospects." O'Malley also called upon the praise given to him by TIME Magazine when they named him one of the country's "Top 5 Big City Mayors."

Predictions

Polling

Results

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

• Charles (largest municipality: Waldorf)
• Howard (largest municipality: Columbia)

References

1. "2006 Gubernatorial General Election - County-Wide Turnout". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved May 1, 2022.
2. ^ "Democrat support plunges for Ehrlich". The Washington Times.
3. ^ "Official 2006 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for Governor / Lt. Governor". elections.maryland.gov.
4. Nitkin, By Andrew A. Green and David (November 6, 2005). "An early edge for Ehrlich's rivals". baltimoresun.com.
5. Lauren Dezenski; Kevin Robillard (February 1, 2017). "Trump makes blue-state Republicans squirm". Politico. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
6. Matthew Mosk; John Wagner (November 8, 2006). "Cardin, O'Malley Win in Statewide Democratic Wave". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 16, 2024. Although both contests remained competitive, the general anti-Republican mood pervading the nation began to weigh on Ehrlich and Steele, who tried to tap national GOP connections for money while trying to avoid an affiliation with Washington as the climate worsened for their party.
7. Wagner, John (September 30, 2006). "Ehrlich Ads Hammer O'Malley on Crime". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
8. "Martin O'Malley 2005 TV Ad: The Real Record in Baltimore". August 12, 2008. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021 – via www.youtube.com.
9. "Martin O'Malley 2005 TV Ad: The Real Question". August 12, 2008. Archived from the original on December 13, 2021 – via www.youtube.com.
10. "Ehrlich for governor, Steele for Senate". The Washington Times.
11. "For Governor in Maryland". washingtonpost.com. October 25, 2006. Archived from the original on February 14, 2007.
12. "O'Malley for governor". The Baltimore Sun. October 29, 2006. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014.
13. Thompson, Mark (April 25, 2005). "Wonk 'n' Roller". Time. Archived from the original on May 16, 2006.
14. "2006 Governor Race Ratings for November 6, 2006" (PDF). The Cook Political Report. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 5, 2008. Retrieved October 1, 2006.
15. "Election Eve 2006: THE FINAL PREDICTIONS". Sabato's Crystal Ball. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
16. "2006 Gubernatorial Ratings". Senate Ratings. The Rothenberg Political Report. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
17. "Election 2006". Real Clear Politics. Retrieved June 25, 2021.
18. "404 Not Found | wusa9.com". www.wusa9.com. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
19. "Governor race a tossup - baltimoresun.com". January 2, 2007. Archived from the original on January 2, 2007.
20. ^ "WSJ.com". www.wsj.com.
21. Public Opinion Strategies
22. "Election Polls 2006: Maryland Governor". Archived from the original on March 11, 2007.
23. Washington Post
24. Rasmussen
25. "USA TODAY/Gallup". USA Today.
26. Baltimore Sun/Potomac Inc.
27. "Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll #10281". www.surveyusa.com.
28. Rasmussen
29. Rasmussen
30. "2006 Maryland Senate Race | RealClearPolling". www.realclearpolling.com.
31. Rasmussen
32. "Baltimore Sun/Potomac Inc". Archived from the original on March 11, 2007.
33. The Washington Post
34. "Opinion Works". Archived from the original on September 21, 2006.
35. Rasmussen
36. "Gonzales Research". Archived from the original on April 20, 2006.
37. Rasmussen
38. "Wall Street Journal/Zogby".
39. "Rasmussen". Archived from the original on November 25, 2005.
40. "Baltimore Sun".
41. "Baltimore Sun".
42. "Rasmussen". Archived from the original on October 31, 2005.
43. ^ "Baltimore Sun".
44. "Official 2006 Gubernatorial General Election results for Governor / Lt. Governor". elections.maryland.gov.

External links

• Official list of candidates provided by the State of Maryland Board of Elections
• Official re-election website of Governor Ehrlich
• Official election website of Martin O'Malley

v t e Elections in Maryland
General	1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1982 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
Governor	1777 1778 1779 1780 1781 1782 1783 1784 1785 1786 1787 1788 1789 1790 1791 1792 1793 1794 1795 1796 1797 1798 1799 1800 1801 1802 1803 1804 1805 1806 1807 1808 1809 (sp) 1809 1810 1811 1812 1813 1814 1815 1816 1817 1818 1819 1820 1821 1822 1823 1824 1826 1827 1828 1829 1830 1831 1832 1833 1834 1835 1836 1837 1838 (Jan.) 1838 (Oct.) 1841 1844 1847 1850 1853 1857 1861 1864 1867 1871 1875 1879 1883 1887 1891 1895 1899 1903 1907 1911 1915 1919 1923 1926 1930 1934 1938 1942 1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1969 (sp) 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
State Senate	1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
House of Delegates	1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
U.S. President	1788 1792 1796 1800 1804 1808 1812 1816 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 2020
U.S. Senate	1788 1790 1791 1793 1793 (sp) 1795 1796 1796 (sp) 1797 (sp) 1800 (sp) 1801 (sp) 1802 1806 1806 (sp) 1808 1809 1813 (sp) 1816 (sp) 1819 1819 (sp) 1821 1822 (sp) 1825 1826 (sp) 1827 1831 1833 1835 (sp) 1836 (sp) 1837 1838 (sp) 1839 1839 (sp) 1841 (sp) 1843 1849 1850 (sp) 1851 1855 1861 1864 (sp) 1865 (sp) 1868 (sp) 1874 1880 1884 1886 1890 1892 1892 (sp) 1896 1898 1902 1904 1908 1908 (sp) 1910 1913 (sp) 1914 1916 1920 1922 1926 1928 1932 1934 1938 1940 1944 1946 1950 1952 1956 1958 1962 1964 1968 1970 1974 1976 1980 1982 1986 1988 1992 1994 1998 2000 2004 2006 2010 2012 2016 2018 2022 2024
U.S. House	1789 1790 1792 1794 1798 1803 1806 1822 1826 1829 1831 1833 1835 1837 1839 1841 1844 1845 1847 1849 1851 1853 1855 1857 1859 1861 1863 1864 1866 1868 1870 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
Attorney General	1895 1899 1903 1907 1911 1915 1919 1923 1926 1930 1934 1938 1942 1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
Comptroller	1895 1897 1899 1901 1903 1905 1907 1909 1911 1913 1915 1917 1919 1921 1923 1926 1930 1934 1938 1942 1946 1950 1954 1958 1962 1966 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
County Executive	2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 2025 sp
County offices	2006 2010 2014 2018 2022
See also: Political party strength in Maryland

• 2006 Maryland elections
• Maryland gubernatorial elections
• 2006 United States gubernatorial elections
• Martin O'Malley