I think Cardin will be a much tougher opponent for Steele.
I happily voted for Mark Kennedy for the US Senate in Minnesota this morning. This Klobuchar woman will be as bad or worse than Mark Dayton and MUST be defeated.
We could also use a sober Kennedy in the Senate.
I think you are right in that Cardin is more savvy and is probably more of a magnet for Democrat cash from around the country.
However, I think that some portions of the black community will be so disgusted that they couldn't get a nominee even in Maryland, that they'll be disheartened and won't participate in GOTV.
Also, I believe that the previous polls were based on a false premise. When asked "would you vote for Steele or the Democrat, no matter who it is?" voters have their own image of who the Democrat would be and could not conceive that he would lose. I want to see the new post-primary polls, no matter the result.
Since most of the elections are decided in the primary in Montgomery County, I am a registered Democrat. I didn't vote on the Senate election though because even though Mfume seems less electable, he could somehow end up being our Senator for the next 30 years.