Posted on 04/25/2006 11:07:08 AM PDT by Alter Kaker
April 25, 2006--Democratic Congressman Ben Cardin is maintaining a substantial lead over Lt. Governor Michael Steele in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Senator Paul Sarbanes.
Cardin now leads 45% to 35%, a slight decline from our previous poll. Cardin's lead has been shaved only by increased voter uncertainty; Steele's support is still at 35%.
Former NAACP President Kweisi Mfume (D), who has often been neck-and-neck with Steele in our surveys, is now slightly ahead, leading Steele 42% to 38%.
The Senate contest echoes the race for Maryland Governor, where the incumbent Republican Bob Ehrlich trails two Democrats when voters consider prospective match-ups.
Nationwide, Republicans have gained a bit politically, at least in the short term, from the debate over immigration policy. But the President's approval rating is still in the doldrums, especially in Maryland.
Just 36% of the state's likely voters approve of how the President is doing his job; 64% disapprove. Fifty percent (50%) of all voters Strongly Disapprove.
The situation in Iraq is a major contributor, with 49% of Americans now saying that our mission there will eventually be judged a failure...only a few percentage points lower than the high of 52% on that question we recorded last month.
In addition to the drab political outlook for Republicans nationally, Lt. Governor Steele's campaign has also been afflicted by gaffes and contention among his staff, resulting in two high-profile departures that received wide publicity in February.
See our report on the Maryland Governor's race for details on how Marylanders are answering questions about taxes and immigration.
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Quote: "The situation in Iraq is a major contributor, with 49% of Americans now saying that our mission there will eventually be judged a failure...only a few percentage points lower than the high of 52% on that question we recorded last month."
Until it succeeds in which case 60% of Americans will have known it would be all along. . . .
The only thing that can stop Steele is the new election pro-fraud laws the Dems created last month.
Maryland contains many people who love to hold out their hands for freebies from the state government(and county governments as well). Voters there are so used to slurping at the public trough that it will be difficult for Mr. Steele to win this race.
I think he's a good troop and a helluva guy, and I wish him well.
anyone know the pa numbers hes released?
"Until it succeeds"
Which 90% of Americans will never know about since the media will totally ignore the story. They'll find some excuse to go back to endless high gas prices or Katrina coverage.
Don't panic. It's early. Better Steele make his missteps now than later in the campaign. People won't start paying attention until after Labor Day. A lot can change between now and then. And Steele only needs to take a somewhat larger percentage of the African American vote in Maryland than a Republican candidate normally would and he could well win it.
To repeat. When one only hears bad news.
Agggh, is right! The spineless pubs are going to get a severe whipping in November....UGHHHHHHHH! WAKE THE HELL UP...DANG IT!!
Voters are actually smarter than some here at FR think. They are able to vote for a Republican for Governor/LG because of some state issue, but understand that their views on federal issues are distinctly liberal and vote for liberals on the exact same ballot. Steele never had a prayer in Maryland.
I'm surprised that Steele is not taking it more on the chin from freepers now that he has called for further study on the racial disparity on the application of the death penalty. He was quoted earlier this month saying "The racial component is a genuine, legitimate concern. That's something that needs to be addressed."
Ben Cardin is not well known among the voters of Maryland. He is a bland, do-nothing Congressman who represents a Baltimore consituency that would elect a ham sandwich if it was a Democrat. His support is largely among the party cadre and the professional pols. That said, he will be a formidable candidate if he wins because Maryland is a Democrat majority state.
I can't believe even the RAT/lib/socialist voters of terrepin-land would want Queesy My-Foo-May as their senator.
called for further study on the racial disparity on the application of the death penalty. He was quoted earlier this month saying "The racial component is a genuine, legitimate concern. That's something that needs to be addressed."
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