Ehrlich Officially Running In Maryland

By Matt Bush

Former Maryland governor Bob Ehrlich officially entered the race to get his old job back this afternoon.

The Republican finds the political landscape today far different than when he lost the gubernatorial race four years ago.

One of the factors Ehrlich says swayed him in deciding to run again this year was a change in the national political mood.

"The national political environment does not have the head winds it contained during my 2006 race," Ehrlich says. "Obviously Iraq was the major head wind there. Republican spending and sex scandals didn't help."

Appearing on WAMU's "The Politics Hour", Ehrlich said it's different this time around.

He termed the poltical landscape as "pro-wealth", something Ehrlich says will help him, as he believes small business owners to be backbone of his voter base.

"Small business people are really getting hit. They're very concerned. They're very concerned about keeping their business, expanding their business, and really about being able to pass on their business to their kids," he says.

Ehrlich is seeking to become the fourth governor in Maryland's history to serve non-consecutive terms. The last to do so was Daniel Martin in 1831.