O'Malley Has Over $4 Million For Election

Martin O'Malley brought in funds from throughout Maryland. (Michael Robinson Chavez - The Washington Post)

Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley is entering the 2006 election year with more than $4 million in the bank, aides to the Democratic candidate for governor said yesterday.

A spokeswoman for Montgomery County Executive Douglas M. Duncan, O'Malley's Democratic rival, would not say what his report will show when filed this week. Duncan will make his numbers public tomorrow, spokeswoman Jody Couser said.

Both Democrats are expected to lag far behind Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R), who aides say will have more than $10 million on hand for the November election.

The campaign finance reports, due Wednesday, will provide an important barometer of what is sure to be the most expensive governor's race in Maryland history.

During the entire 2002 campaign, Ehrlich raised $10.5 million, and his Democratic opponent, then-Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, raised $8.5 million.

O'Malley will report having $4.19 million on hand as of last Wednesday, the close of the reporting period, campaign manager Jonathan Epstein said, and raising $4.29 million during the preceding year. Nearly half of that -- $2 million -- came from a June fundraiser at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, aides said. Epstein said O'Malley raised money from all 24 Maryland jurisdictions and took in about $100,000 over the Internet the final week of the reporting period.

Epstein said O'Malley's take is impressive when compared with other challengers at similar points in their campaigns. In Virginia, Democrat Timothy M. Kaine, now the governor, reported $3.2 million on hand at a similar time, Epstein said.

O'Malley's ticket will also benefit from money raised by his running mate, Del. Anthony G. Brown (D-Prince George's). Brown's totals were not released yesterday.

Staff writer Matthew Mosk contributed to this report.