New Poll Shows Leading Candidates In Democratic Gubernatorial Race

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Maryland Democrats continue to campaign for voter support in the June 26 primary.

Early voting starts this week, and a new poll shows two candidates tied for the lead in a field of seven for governor.

Out of a field of seven come two double-digit Democrats--Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker and former NAACP President Ben Jealous. Baker and Jealous are tied at 16 percent of likely Democratic voters in a new Baltimore Sun/University of Baltimore poll.

"We've built a momentum," Baker said. "This is just another step in it. We're ready to go ahead and win this."

Jealous, who was first in a Washington Post poll last week, said he's going to continue his campaign as though he's the underdog.

"We're going to keep up the fight until we win," he said.

Jealous and Baker are 11 points ahead of Valerie Ervin, who is replacing the late Kevin Kamenetz in the race.

Maryland State Senator Rich Madaleno, attorney Jim Shea, and former Michelle Obama aide Krish Vignarajah, are polling at 4 percent. Entrepreneur Alec Ross polls 1 percent of the vote.

Forty-four percent of voters are still undecided, but 57 percent say they will vote for the Democratic Party nominee, whoever that may be.

"We can elect "D"s across the state in places where we've only seen "R"s for a very long time," Jealous said.

According to the Sun poll, Republican Governor Larry Hogan has a 60 percent approval rating among Democrats. Twenty-four percent say they would vote for him again.

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