O’Malley defeats Ehrlich in Maryland rematch

Published November 1, 2010 4:00am ET



Democratic incumbent Gov. Martin O’Malley has won a second term in a rematch with Republican former Gov. Robert Ehrlich (UR’-lihk).

Early returns show O’Malley winning. The victory provides a rare bright spot for Democrats bracing for big losses in both congressional and governors’ races.

Ehrlich had trouble capitalizing on anti-incumbent sentiment because he was governor just before O’Malley.

Also, the tea party doesn’t have much of a presence in Maryland, where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-to-1.

O’Malley emphasized during the campaign that Maryland has weathered the recession better than many other states.

The campaign featured a series of sniping debates and negative advertising.