Republican Holds Big Lead in Blue State Governor Race
Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has his largest lead yet over progressive Democrat challenger Ben Jealous, according to a Wednesday poll that also showed Hogan beating Jealous even in areas that lean heavily to the left.
The incumbent is polling 22 points above Jealous, 54 to 32 percent, according to the Goucher poll.
Even if Jealous were to gain the support of the 9 percent of undecided likely voters, he would still face a deficit compared to Hogan.
This is Hogan’s biggest lead yet during the campaign after various polls showed him leading Jealous by 12 points in June and 16 points in August, The Baltimore Sun reported.
Hogan leads “in every region of the state” and is even preferred 45 to 40 percent by typically Democrat voters in the Washington, D.C., suburbs, according to The Baltimore Sun.
Hogan enjoyed a nearly 70 percent approval rating in April, The Washington Post reported.
Hogan has the support of 91 percent of Republican likely voters, 57 percent of independents but only 38 percent of Democrats compared to Jealous’s 48 percent.
Sixty-six percent of voters had more confidence in Hogan to handle issues like the state economy, compared to 23 percent who had faith in Jealous.
Fifty-one percent of Maryland voters trusted Hogan to handle education and health care better, too, compared with roughly 35 percent who had confidence in Jealous on both issues.
The most important issue to Maryland voters is the economy, with 25 percent of respondents ranking it higher than issues like health care and racial or social justice, according to the poll.
Hogan’s lead is bigger than Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s 19-point lead over Democrat challenger Lupe Valdez, but it is modest compared to Arkansas Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s 35-point lead over Democrat challenger Jared Henderson.
The Goucher poll surveyed 831 likely Maryland voters from Sept. 11 to Sept. 16, and has a 3.4 percent margin of error.
Hogan has been Maryland’s governor since 2015 when he took the office from a Democrat in a state where Democrats significantly outnumber Republicans.
The Daily Caller News Foundation reached out to both campaigns but did not receive a response at the time of publication.
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A version of this article appeared on The Daily Caller News Foundation website.
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