Ehrlich tries to Spin Md. Election; Holds Press Conference to hide results

Ehrlich tries to Spin Md. Election; Holds Press Conference to hide results

When the results of Tuesday’s Election streamed in for Maryland, Ehrlich and his aides began an aggressive, transparent damage control campaign to hide the dismal prospects of his own reelection.  After spending more time on the golf course than actually campaigning for Maryland GOP candidates and President Bush, Ehrlich proclaimed Tuesday’s elections results proved the GOP "is growing, big-time" and "is here to stay," in Maryland. But by any objective measure, the election results cement the long held view that Ehrlich successful election in 2002 was just a fluke.   There is no realignment, especially if Democrats continued the hard work they demonstrated in 2004.

The Hard Facts of 2004: MD GOP Reality Check.

Without question, Bush, Pipkin and GOP congressional candidates where slaughtered in Maryland.  Democrats across the state ran organized, disciplined and well executed campaigns. For two years now, Ehrlich has led his party and promised a sea of change.  But the results illustrated a cold reality: the State GOP is treading water, struggling to keep afloat and Ehrlich’s own reelection is in serious jeopardy.   

Ehrlich was unable to recruit credible candidates to help build his party.  He refused to campaign for Bush in Maryland.  He refused to been seen or heard in Pipkin’s massive TV and Radio ad buys. Selfishly, Ehrlich is only concerned about his reelection in 2006 -- and 2004 election results prove it. 

In Baltimore County, Ehrlich’s home turf, George W. Bush lost by 5 points and GOP Candidate E.J. Pipkin, who poured over a million dollars into the Baltimore Media market, lost by an embarrassing 28 points.  Congressman Cardin, Cummings, and Rupperberger obliterated opponents and their dedicated volunteers made sure Democrats went to the polls, which helped push Democrats far over expected vote goals.

In Baltimore City, where turnout is crucial to increase statewide vote tallies, the disciplined ground campaign led by Martin O’Malley surpassed DNC turnout goals.  Every vote counts in a statewide race but Ehrlich was unable to get the few members his own party to turnout and vote for Pipkin.  Bush lost the City by 65 percentage points.  Pipkin lost by 75 points.

In Howard County, another important battleground that Ehrlich won in 2002, voters outright rejected George W. Bush.  Democratic turnout was strong and Bush lost by a sweeping margin of 9 percentage points. Like his showing in Baltimore County, Pipkin was unable to crest 35% of the vote.  It was a downright miserable showing for the State GOP.  Congressman Cummings destroyed his opponent in the Howard county portions of his district. Highly organized Democratic activists on the ground ensured high turnout in key precincts throughout the county, which exceeded vote goals. 

In Montgomery County, the suburban county with largest number of voters in the state, Bush could only pull in 33 percent of the vote, even worse than Pipkin did in Howard.  As for Pipkin, who ran a self-financed $2 million campaign, he had a measly 27% of the vote.  Under the leadership of County Executive Doug Duncan and Congressman Van Hollen, hundreds of Democratic volunteers helped solidify these impressive margins that exceed expected vote goals.

In Prince George’s County, the county with the second largest share of Maryland voters, volunteers led by the organized campaigns of Congressional Democrats Wynn, Hoyer and Van Hollen got the job done, exceeding county vote goals.  Bush lost the County by 64 percentage points --- and Pipkin lost by 73 points.  Enough said.

In Anne Arundel County, Bush won, but the hard work of Anne Arundel county volunteers pushed Kerry over his expected vote goal!  Even Bush’s numbers and GOP turnout could not help Pipkin who lost to Mikulski lost by 11 points; while Congressmen Dutch Rupperberger and Ben Cardin embarrassed GOP opponents who were expected to do much better. 

The Shore: Senator Mikulski, with the help of her army of volunteers won the Majority of counties on the shore and was highly competitive in others – to the great embarrassment from Queen Anne’s E.J. Pipkin.  Kerry even beat vote goals in a few counties including Talbot, Somerset, and Kent.

Southern Md.:  John Kerry’s two point victory in Charles County set the stage for Southern Maryland.  Again, Senator Mikulski swept Southern Maryland, dominating Pipkin in Charles, St. Mary’s and Calvert Counties by healthy margins.  Hoyer with his battalions of volunteers crushed his opponent and helped deliver a significant amount of votes for John Kerry. 

The Road to 2006: Ehrlich & MD GOP is in trouble.

Polling indicates that if the 2006 election were held today, Ehrlich would lose.  Moreover, his party can point to very few opportunities to pick up ground in 2006, while pit falls plague the GOP throughout the state.  Ehrlich says that by 2006 he will have some sort of a record to run on.  However, two years into the job and hasn’t accomplished anything—except for raising more taxes than the past two governors combined.