O'Malley Flap Enters Governor Race

"As long as there's nothing to it, he's fine, it'll go away," Gimpel said. "If some enterprising reporter turns something up, though, he's finished."

The past week's revelations could inflict damage on Ehrlich, whose affable reputation has helped sustain his popularity with voters despite several significant legislative defeats, analysts said.

"The governor is going to have to be extremely careful about the way he crafts his campaign," said Matthew A. Crenson, a political science professor at Johns Hopkins University. "People are going to be watching more carefully now to see if he conducts personal attacks."

Even though Democrats credited Ehrlich with moving quickly to remove Steffen, they argued that his aide's dirty tricks could do lasting damage to the governor's image.

"The mask of Mr. Nice Guy has been pulled off Mr. Ehrlich and his team," said Sandy Brantley, a legal counsel to then-Gov. Parris N. Glendening (D) and an early Duncan supporter.

That will be particularly true if an investigation, led by Democratic lawmakers, turns up evidence to contradict Ehrlich's insistence that Steffen spread the rumor without his blessing.

"I find it inconceivable that the governor didn't know about it," said Terry Lierman, chairman of the Maryland Democratic Party.

Hirschburg, the consultant, said she doubts that any fair-minded person would blame the governor for the work of a single aide. Although Steffen was wrong to spread the rumor, she said, there is no evidence that he was its source.

Even if talk of the rumor diminishes, O'Malley faces other hurdles, Republicans said. If actions Friday were any indication, Ehrlich and his allies probably will continue pounding O'Malley for his stewardship of Baltimore -- where the homicide rate remains higher than the mayor had promised -- and his occasionally questionable rhetoric.

The back-and-forth of the week belied the fact that the Democratic nominee might not emerge until the September 2006 primary.

Some Democrats believe that the week's events reinforced the perception that O'Malley, who enjoys a significant lead over Duncan in early primary polling, probably will emerge as the party's nominee.

Others, however, suggested that Duncan could wind up being the biggest beneficiary, as he quietly continues networking among Democratic activists, raising money and building his record

Duncan issued a statement Friday condemning Steffen's actions, but he otherwise steered clear of the matter -- which his supporters said is wise.