O’Malley, Ehrlich spar in Maryland debate

The candidates in Maryland’s tight gubernatorial race squared off Monday in their first debate, focusing on the economy, taxes and who is better suited to boost job creation in the state.

“Job creation is the No. 1 issue in this campaign,” said former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., the Republican candidate, who argued that more support for small businesses will create those jobs.

Incumbent Gov. Martin O’Malley, a Democrat, said that Maryland has done better than most states in the recession and that the key is tapping into the “new economy” with support for biotech and alternative-energy companies.

The candidates in this closely contested race wrestled over about seven questions in the one-hour debate, taped at WJZ-TV, a CBS affiliate, in Baltimore. The debate will be aired tonight across the state.

Mr. Ehrlich in 2002 became the state’s first Republican governor in roughly three decades, but he lost his re-election bid in 2006 to Mr. O’Malley, the former mayor of Baltimore.

Mr. O’Malley has pulled ahead in the closing weeks, leading by 8 to 11 percentage points, according to two recent polls.

Other questions focused on immigration, public education, college tuition and crime.

Perhaps the most heated exchanges were over public education and a 2006 incident in which the state attempted to control of 11 failing Baltimore schools when Mr. Ehrlich was governor and Mr. O’Malley was mayor.

Mr. O’Malley touted the state’s progress in public education under his gubernatorial leadership, arguing that the state has one of the best school systems in the country.

Mr. Ehrlich criticized Mr. O’Malley for not doing more in 2006, protecting powerful interests within the education system more than the students.

“That was the most disgraceful episode, though I’m not blaming it all on you,” Mr. Ehrlich said. “You were protecting a monopoly instead of the kids. Those kids were denied their constitutional rights.”

Mr. O’Malley accused Mr. Ehrlich of relentlessly focusing on the negative when discussing the state of the state’s schools.

“Why don’t you ever mention places where kids are making progress?” he asked Mr. Ehrlich.

The candidates also are scheduled to do two radio debates and are negotiating on another televised debate ahead of the Nov. 2 vote.