In late rally, O'Malley visits local union hall

November 02, 2006|by ANDREW SCHOTZ

MAUGANSVILLE - Democratic gubernatorial candidate Martin O'Malley stopped in Washington County on Wednesday for a "get out the vote" rally at a labor hall.

Accompanied by running mate Anthony Brown, O'Malley urged party faithful to treat the remaining days of the campaign with high importance.

Although Western Maryland leans Republican - Gov. Robert Ehrlich captured nearly 70 percent of Washington County's vote four years ago - O'Malley said it's as important as any other part of the state.

O'Malley, who is on a late-campaign bus tour with Brown, cited three newspaper polls in the last several days that have him leading Ehrlich.

The (Baltimore) Sun's poll has O'Malley up by 1 percentage point, which is within the margin of error, so the race actually is considered even.

O'Malley, the mayor of Baltimore, was up 10 percentage points in The Washington Post's poll. The Wall Street Journal's poll shows O'Malley ahead by 5 percentage points, but the gap had been larger.

The election is Tuesday.

At the end of Wednesday's rally at the United Auto Workers Local 171 office on Maugans Avenue, north of Hagerstown, two local labor unions announced that they're endorsing O'Malley.

Democratic supporters cheered O'Malley's pledge to "make your government work again," as well as his criticisms of Ehrlich on college tuition increases, public safety and his veto of a minimum-wage increase.

Ehrlich is seeking a second four-year term.

Congress candidate Andrew Duck, state attorney general candidate Douglas F. Gansler and state Del. John P. Donoghue also spoke at the rally.

Duck is running against Republican incumbent Roscoe G. Bartlett and Green Party candidate Robert E. Kozak.

Gansler and Republican Scott L. Rolle are competing to take over for Democrat J. Joseph Curran Jr., who is not seeking re-election.

Donoghue is trying for a fifth term. His opponent is Republican Paul Muldowney.

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