The mud in the Maryland Governor's race is coming hot and heavy now. Mr. Nice Guy, I mean Mr. I wanna look like a nice guy, sound like a smart guy, and be the elected guy, Democrat Martin O'Malley (currently Mayor of Baltimore) is getting slammed hard for his failures in reducing crime in Baltimore by none other than the first in a line of fired Police Commissioners.
O'Malley has replaced his top guy in the Police Department 6 times (he's on his 7th in as many years). During that time span crime has gotten worse as he has raised taxes in numerous ways.
Schools have gotten worse, and the combination of crime and failed education is creating a viscious cycle where the uneducated, or under-educated residents turn to crime for their livelyhood or the easy score.
O'Malley is taking it on the chin currently as he sees his chances of winning the office he covets get attacked by words of a former Democratic candidate for the same office he's seeking now. Current Montgomery County Executive Douglas Duncan, who exited the Governor's race under mysterious circumstances (considering he was running neck and neck with O'Malley) that later were explained as a fight against depression had slammed his opponent pretty hard when they were competing in the primary season.
As I had expected, and somewhat hoped, the words of the Democrats who were in effect eating their own in their primary race are now used by their opponent in campaign attack ads. I actually am somewhat delighted at this since the very words that are being used are also coming from the liberal leaning mainstream media's poster child (the venerable The Washington Post) which had interviews and news columns with the words that are being used as quotes in the newest attack ads.
I almost, note I said almost, feel sorry for O'Malley. He's in a virtual dead-heat with current governor, Republican Robert Ehrlich. He leads in the most recent polls but by a margin that puts the race at dead-heat (within the margin of error). This is happening in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans somewhere around 3 for every 2.
O'Malley has tried to paint his opponent as the guy that raised taxes, and yet he's conveniently forgotten to tell anyone about his tax increases. He's tried to say his opponent is the problem with education, yet Ehrlich has delivered on requirements for funding education and schools even when faced with a $2 Billion budget deficit when he took office. Ehrlich has also been stymied in legalizing slot machines within the states and has seen funds cross the borders to Pennsylvania, Delaware and West Virginia that could have been paying for (and was budgeted/ear-marked for) education costs.
Less than a week remains, but this race, like many others, is too close to call. Bring on the mud.
