Tight race seen if Sarbanes retires from U.S. Senate
/If Paul S. Sarbanes decides to retire from the U.S. Senate, there are
several potential candidates who have a legitimate shot at his seat in
2006, according to a new poll. Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley would be
the top candidate among Democrats if he runs, but former NAACP
president Kweisi Mfume and longtime Congressman Benjamin L. Cardin
would give the mayor a run for his money, according to the Maryland
Poll from Gonzales Research & Marketing Strategies. "All three of
them are extremely competitive because of the bases of support they
already have," said Patrick E. Gonzales, president of the
Annapolis-based polling firm. He surveyed 402 voters who are likely to
vote in the Democratic primary. The poll has a margin of error of plus
or minus 5 percent. If Mr. Sarbanes, 71, decides to retire, the race
between Mr. O'Malley, Mr. Mfume and Mr. Cardin would be a tight one.
Statewide, Mr. O'Malley leads with 26 percent support, followed by Mr.
Mfume with 24 percent and Mr. Cardin with 20 percent. Thirty percent of
those polled were undecided. "If it were those three, it would be a
fascinating election," Mr. Gonzales said.
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