Governor Bob Ehrlich (R) now trails Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley (D) 51% to 42% in this heavily Democratic state. O'Malley has been credited with running a very effective campaign.

Governor Ehrlich also trails Montgomery County Executive Doug Duncan by a couple points, 45% to 43%.

It was clear last summer Ehrlich would have a tough battle to hold onto the seat he narrowly won in 2002. He then narrowly led O'Malley and was a percentage point behind Duncan.

By November, Ehrlich was trailing both Democrats. With just one exception , the incumbent has trailed in our election polls ever since.

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of Maryland voters say the goal of immigration policy should be to welcome all immigrants except those who are criminals or security threats, or intend to live off welfare. A solid majority, 71%, say government policy should focus on securing our borders and enforcing existing immigration law first before attending to further reform.

Only 37% say all illegal aliens residing in the country should be forced to leave, and only 38% believe that the child of an illegal alien should automatically become a citizen.

In political terms, the early phases of the immigration debate appear to have helped the GOP. But, it is impossible to project either how much of an impact this will have on Election 2006 or the long-range implications of the issue.

Fifty-two percent (52%) of Marylanders say tax increase hurt the economy; 22% say they help. Only 47% say tax cuts, by contrast, help the economy; 25% say they hurt. Forty-five percent (45%) say going to the dentist is worse that tax paperwork, 44% say it's the other way around.

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