POLL: MD Supports Obama, Hogan, Pot & Immigrants (1 Is Not Like The Others) // PLUS: Marylanders on Presidential Race

By Matt Verghese

Below Maryland Juice provides highlights from a new Goucher Poll on the Presidential race, Governor Larry Hogan and a few policy debates. You can see the summary data below. A few quick items of interest:

1. Slim majorities of Marylanders approve of Larry Hogan & Barack Obama's jobs, but many residents don't yet have an opinion on Hogan.
2. Governor Hogan's issue ratings are lower, and he receives his lowest marks on education -- the most important issues facing the state and the only issue where Democrats disapprove 
3. Marylanders support marijuana legalization, and a super-majority of residents support a path to citizenship for undocumented residents.
4. Marylanders disapprove of the job Congress is doing by a whopping 83%.
5. It's early in the Presidential race, but Hillary Clinton tops the polls for Maryland Democrats & Martin O'Malley is scraping the bottom in his own state

Who Would Maryland Democrats Vote for in Presidential Primary?

• Hillary Clinton: 43%
• Joe Biden: 23%
• Bernie Sanders: 17%
• Martin O'Malley: 2%

Who Do Maryland Democrats Think Will Win Nomination?

• Hillary Clinton: 54%
• Joe Biden: 14%
• Bernie Sanders: 8%

Marylanders' Approval of Governor Hogan's Job as Governor:

• Approve: 58%
• Disapprove: 18%
• Don't Know: 23%

Marylanders' Approval of Governor Hogan's Handling of Issues (ranked by importance):

	Approve	Disapprove
Public education	40	33	+7
Taxes	51	29	+22
Economic growth	52	21	+31
Job creation	42	28	+14
Crime	43	32	+11
Transportation	50	29	+21
Environment	43	27	+16

Marylanders' Approval of President Obama's Job as President:

• Approve: 53%
• Disapprove: 38%
• Don't Know: 7%

Marylanders' Approval of Congress' Job:

• Disapprove: 83%
• Approve: 9%
• Don't Know: 7%

Marylanders on Marijuana Legalization:

• Support Legalization: 52%
• Oppose Legalization: 42%

Marylanders on Who Should Decide Marijuana Policy:

• States Should Decide: 64%
• Federal Government Should Decide: 31%

Marylanders on Redistricting:

• Prefer Independent Commission: 73%
• Prefer Redistricting by Electeds: 21%

Marylanders on Starting School After Labor Day:

• Support Starting After Labor Day: 72%
• Oppose Starting After Labor Day: 19%

Marylanders on Undocumented Immigrants:

• Allow Them to Stay In Jobs With Path to Citizenship: 62%
• Make Them Leave Jobs & the USA: 20%
• Allow Them to Stay Temporarly In Jobs Without Path to Citizenship: 13%