The Economy And Jobs Are Top Issues Heading Into 2022 Governor’s Race, Poll Says

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Heading into the 2022 gubernatorial election, the system and jobs stay a apical precedence for Maryland voters, according to the caller Goucher Poll released Thursday.

Of the 631 registered voters surveyed, 28% said those economical issues would beryllium the astir important origin successful determining their vote, followed by wellness attraction (14%), “race/social justness issues” (13%) and taxes (12%).

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Pollsters with Goucher College spoke with 352 registered Democrats, 161 registered Republicans and 107 unaffiliated voters. In Maryland, Democrats outnumber Republicans by astir 2 to 1.

Men and residents successful the Baltimore metro country look the astir acrophobic astir jobs and the economy, with 38% and 32% of those respondents, respectively, saying it was a apical issue.

Women were much evenly divided, with the system and jobs lone 1 constituent up of wellness attraction and societal justness (both 17%).

Nearly 1 successful 3 residents successful the Baltimore metro country said the system was their apical issue, compared with 22% successful Montgomery and Prince George’s counties and 21% successful the Southern, Western and Eastern parts of the state.

A campaigner similar Gov. Larry Hogan, whose job support standing is astatine 68% according to a Goucher Poll released earlier this week, would seemingly fare good successful a 2022 matchup.

“A Republican similar Larry Hogan” is 5 points up of a “moderate Democrat,” 49%-44%, according to the poll. The borderline of mistake for the canvass is positive oregon minus 3.9%, meaning the 2 hypothetical candidates are virtually tied.

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A progressive campaigner would bash adjacent worse, according to the results. In a matchup betwixt “a Republican similar Larry Hogan” and “a progressive Democrat,” the hypothetical Hogan-like campaigner finishes with a 55%-38% victory.

“A Republican similar Donald Trump” would get soundly defeated against either a “progressive” oregon “moderate” Democrat, according to the poll.

More than fractional of the registered voters who were polled identified themselves arsenic “moderates,” compared with 23% who said they were “conservative” and 20% who said they were “progressive.” And 3% didn’t know.

“The clearest way to holding the governorship for Maryland Republicans is by nominating a campaigner who voters presumption arsenic akin to Larry Hogan,” said Mileah Kromer, manager of the Sarah T. Hughes Center for Politics astatine Goucher College. “On the Democratic side, it appears that a mean campaigner is electorally stronger than a progressive among registered
voters.”

Kromer noted the predetermination is inactive a twelvemonth distant and preferences could change.

Del. Dan Cox, a pro-Trump campaigner representing Frederick and Carroll counties, and Commerce Secretary Kelly M. Schulz are the 2 biggest Republican names to motorboat candidacies frankincense far.

The Democrats already person a heavy database of candidates headlined by Comptroller Peter Franchot, erstwhile Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, erstwhile Attorney General Doug Gansler, erstwhile U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr., erstwhile Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez, and writer and erstwhile nonprofit CEO Wes Moore.

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The canvass was conducted betwixt Oct. 14-20.