US Midterm Poll and Maryland’s Guber Contest

By Taiwo Coker

As preparations are underway for the midterm elections scheduled to hold in at least 36 states in the United States, indications have emerged that the battle, which would essentially be between the Republic and Democratic parties, would be keenly contested.

States affected by the elections are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado and Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Mainne, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico and New York.

Others are Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming. While 20 of the states are currently being governed by the Republicans, the Democrats rule in the remaining 16, but the entire elections have rekindled the old rivalry between both parties, especially after Donald Trump lost the last presidential election.

Besides, congressional elections would also be conducted in several states in the country for seats in the Senate and  Congress. While the Democrats and Republicans have equal lawmakers in the Senate, the Democrats dominate the House of Representatives, with octogenarian Nancy Pelosi as the Speaker,

In Maryland, according to Federal Character, a newspaper based in Maryland, the election seems to be getting fiercer, especially between the Democrat and political entrant, Wes Moore, who is currently holding a 32-percentage-point lead over Donald Trump-aligned Republican Dan Cox in the governorship race more than a month ahead of Election Day.

The media reports that race, gender, political party and desire for change would be a major determining factor, just as the influence of the Democratic Party and Republicans, especially as mirrored by President Joe Biden and Donald Trump.

Prospective voters perceive incumbent governor Cox as having performed poorly in delivering democratic dividends in the last few years, an issue that precipitates their call for change in the government house.

However, the Goucher/ Baltimore Banner/WYPR poll indicates more Maryland voters prefer the Democratic Nominee, Wes Moore, by 53 percent to Republican candidate, Dan Cox’s 31 per cent.  Libertarian candidate, David Lasher and Green Party candidate Nancy Wallace gathered four percent and two percent votes respectively. This came as nine per cent of the poll were undecided.

Already, some voters in Maryland have expressed fears that the election in the state is skewed to favour the Democrats, while Nicholas Byrant argued that the state will vote anyone endorsed by Trump, because the state believes more in liberalization.

“I don’t vote based on race. I consider the background and history of actions along with a vision of the future. Dan Cox doesn’t believe in democracy and has a terrible voting history,” Byrant said.

To Federal Character, a news medium owned by Paschal Uche Ejikeme, the election should be based on competence and popular will, as against other considerations. “Federal Character is a vital point in good governance. It promotes inclusiveness, responsiveness, equality, rule of law and purposeful development.

“Maryland is a multi-racial cosmopolitan state and the needs of the people, provision of social service and several other needs are vital. Increasing societal demands necessitate the need for competence, integrity, adherence to core elements of good governance and values of the American people in a global society that is more disposed to plurality and racial harmony.”

*Coker, a public affairs analyst, writes from Maryland, USA