Advantage: GOP in Maryland

Hmm!!! According to recent campaign finace reports, MD Governor Bob Ehrlich is outraising his opponents.

Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. reported raising $10.8 million to date for his reelection bid, Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele's campaign said he has taken in $1.27 million for the U.S. Senate race, and the state Republican Party account showed a sizable financial edge over the Democrats.

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Ehrlich's total exceeds the amount he raised during his entire 2002 campaign and that raised by both of his Democratic opponents combined. But a closer look at the filings shows the governor and his nearest Democratic rival on roughly the same fundraising pace over the past year. During that period, Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley took in $4.3 million and Ehrlich raised about $4.9 million, according to aides.

Over the past three years, O'Malley has raised about $7 million, but some of that went toward his mayoral reelection campaign in 2004. At this time last year, the mayor had about $1 million in the bank, while Ehrlich had banked about $4.5 million. Ehrlich's other Democratic rival, Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan, had about $1.5 million.

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In the race for the seat of retiring U.S. Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes, Republicans say they believe Steele is their first highly competitive Senate candidate in more than 20 years. Still, Steele trails Democratic Rep. Benjamin Cardin, who said he has raised $2.8 million and will have $2.1 million on hand when federal filings are due at the end of this month. Former Democratic congressman and NAACP president Kweisi Mfume has said he expects to show about $400,000 in that report.

While both Ehrlich and Steele may not, in the end raise as much money as their opponent, they have one major advantage-they are unopposed in the primary. The Maryland Primary takes place on September 12, two months before the general election. The primary, particularly for the Governorship, is likely to be brutal and expensive. Both GOP candidates can cruise into the general election season with their warchests largely intact, while the Democratic nominees will have to replenish theirs. With more money for advertaising and the critcally vital get-out-the-vote effort, the GOP candidates will have an advantage.