Poll: Md. Senate Primary Tight For Edwards, Van Hollen

BALTIMORE (WJZ)--Dead heat. With just two months to the April primary the race to replace retiring Senator Barbara Mikulski is too close to call.

Political reporter Pat Warren has new poll results that has both campaigns stepping on the gas.

Congresswoman Donna Edwards is well known in Prince George's County. Congressman Chris Van Hollen is well known in Montgomery County.

But they are hardly known up here.

"Other than political junkies and people in the party hierarchy nobody up here has ever heard of them," said Don Norris, UMBC School of Public Policy Director.

That's why you see the ads.

Maryland's democratic senate primary finds Donna Edwards just two points ahead of Chris Van Hollen, 39% to 37%.

Twenty three percent are not sure.

The margin of error is plus or minus 5.6%, which means a dead heat.

"We've had two back to back polls within a month or so of each other which show them essentially tied," said Norris.

Warren: "And what do you do to break that tie?"

"Well, again, you advertise, advertise, advertise and you run a ground game," Norris said.

The candidates have barely budged since the January Gonzales Poll, where 24 percent were undecided. Here we are in February and Goucher finds 23% haven't made up their minds.

"The two candidates have a lot of opportunity between now and late April which is two months away to convince people to vote for them," Norris says.

In statements to WJZ today, the Van Hollen campaign emphasized overwhelming endorsement of community leaders.

The Edwards campaign calls her a champion who will stand up to special interests.

And they've both got to have boots on the ground knocking on doors.