Md. Gubernatorial Candidates Appear In 2nd Debate

ARLINGTON, Va. (WJZ) -- The two men running for governor in Maryland met for their second debate, recorded for broadcast at News Channel 8. According to a poll by our media partners, the Baltimore Sun, many voters are undecided but the gap between the candidates appears to be narrowing.

Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown is leading Republican candidate Larry Hogan by seven points. When voters were asked who they would vote for right now, 49% said Brown, 42% said Hogan and eight percent were undecided.

Alex DeMetrick has more on Monday's debate, where a lot of the same arguments heard at their first meeting at WJZ came up again.

The recorded debate was aimed primarily at the Maryland counties closest to DC but much of it centered on themes heard before.

"This election is about the future and where we're going," Brown said.

"I happen to believe our state is way off track and headed in the wrong direction," Hogan said.

And at the center of that crossroads is taxes and the spending priorities that come with it---an argument that stretched both on and off the debate set.

"You're the one squeezing the middle class. You're the one who raised 38 regressive taxes that hurt people at the lower end of the income scale," Hogan said.

"Are we going to go the way with Larry Hogan, which is protecting and favoring the smallest group of the largest corporations, the wealthiest who need the least at the expense of the middle class?" Brown said.

But guns also surfaced and reports in the Washington Post that Hogan has allegedly been making closed door promises regarding Maryland's gun laws.

"In private, you said to gun activists---to gun rights activists---you'll roll it back by executive order and you'll appoint a superintendent that will loosely interpret the law," Brown said.

"I haven't made any secret deals. We're going to be enforcing the laws that are on the books," hogan said.

After the debate finished taping, neither candidate declared a win.

"I think the voters of Maryland are going to win November 4," Hogan said.

"Great debate," Brown said.

Marylanders go to the polls 21 days from now to cast their votes for the next governor.

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