Posted on 08/27/24
| News Source: FOX45
Baltimore, MD - Aug. 27, 2024 - A new poll released Tuesday shows Maryland's consequential U.S. Senate race is in a dead heat with only 70 days left until Election Day.
The first poll commissioned by the nonpartisan AARP during the general election cycle shows that Maryland’s open U.S. Senate seat is competitive for either candidate. Political observers from both parties have closely monitored the race's progression as control of the Senate hangs in the balance.
The AARP poll indicates that former Governor Larry Hogan and Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks are deadlocked at 46%.
The poll results for the Senate race contrast Maryland voters’ intentions for the top of their 2024 ballot.
The poll found that Vice President Kamala Harris leads former President Donald Trump in Maryland by over 32 points in a head-to-head matchup.
AARP said it assembled a bipartisan polling team comprised of Republican Fabrizio Ward and Democrat-leaning Impact Research that interviewed 1,258 likely voters in a statewide sample.
The nonprofit’s poll found much of the state’s 50-year-old voters or older helped to contribute to the even Senate matchup. Hogan narrowly beat Alsobrooks in this demographic by two points, with 47% to 45%, respectively.
Despite President Joe Biden's announcement weeks ago that he will not seek re-election, catapulting Harris to the top of the Democratic ticket, the vice president's coattails were not realized in the AARP poll.
Two key demographics, women voters 50 and older and caregivers 50 and older, are narrowly divided, with Alsobrooks leading by 4 points among older women and by 1 point with caregivers,” AARP said.
Maryland has historically been considered a heavily Democratic-leaning state, with Hogan being one of only two Republican governors in its history winning reelection.
Hogan told The National Desk (TND) that he believes this race is far from over.
I’ve been clear from the start that we are the underdogs in this race,” Hogan said. “People have always counted us out – and in this deep blue state, during this unprecedented and chaotic time in American politics, this uphill battle is a daunting climb.”
Throughout his tenure in the public eye, Hogan has consistency portrayed himself as an independent public servant unbound by the mainstream Republican Party. The former Maryland governor has distanced himself from Trump and taken a more liberal approach on abortion than most Republican officials in his state.
Alsobrooks's campaign embraced her Democratic affiliation on Tuesday after reviewing the AARP poll results.
“This race will determine whether Democrats defend our Senate Majority or whether Larry Hogan hands Republicans a Senate Majority,” the Alsobrooks campaign told TND. “Marylanders and Angela share a vision for the future for our state and country.”
The AARP poll revealed Hogan holds a significant lead among surveyed Maryland voters who identified as Independents, with a 23-point margin. This was countered by Harris 14-point lead over Trump.
Hogan told TND he expects to continue to reach out to voters statewide regardless of their party affiliation.
“We’ve beaten the odds before,” Hogan said. “With the grassroots support of Democrats, Independents and Republicans in every corner of the state, we are ready to do it again.”