Poll: Brown, Gansler Lead Governor’s Race in Name Recognition

A poll conducted by Goucher College on issues related to the 2014 Maryland governor's election shows Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown and Attorney General Doug Gansler with the highest name recognition among candidates, but it also reveals Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger has the third-most recognized name even though he's not in the race.  

Harford County Executive David Craig has the highest name recognition of the Republican candidates, with 31 percent.

Del. Heather Mizeur, who is trying to become the first openly gay or lesbian person to be elected governor of Maryland has the lowest name recognition of all the candidates included in the poll, with 13 percent.

Candidate name recognition:

1. Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown (Democrat, Prince George’s County) 62 percent
2. Doug Gansler (Democrat, Montgomery County) 58 percent
3. Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (Democrat, Baltimore County) 49 percent
4. County Executive David Craig (Republican, Harford County) 31 percent
5. Charles Lollar (Republican, Charles County) 23 percent
6. Del. Ron George (Republican, Anne Arundel County) 22 percent
7. Del. Heather Mizeur (Democrat, Montgomery County) 13 percent

The poll also showed that 27 percent of residents say the economy is their top issue, with 15 percent saying taxes and 14 percent saying education.

The poll included some pertinent numbers for the current administration in which Brown now serves. 

A slim majority of Marylanders polled, 46 percent, said they believe the state is on the wrong track, while 45 percent said the state is heading in the right direction.

Residents also very narrowly approved of the job Gov. Martin O’Malley is doing, with 41 percent approving of his performance, while 40 percent said they disapproved and 18 percent responded they "didn’t know."   

The random poll of 665 Maryland residents conducted by phone has a margin of error of 3.8 percent.