State Democratic Party Poll: Dougherty behind Bartlett by 6%

Congressional candidate Jennifer Dougherty (D-Frederick) says she's only 6 points behind in the polls, but Congressman Roscoe Bartlett's (R-Frederick) campaign isn't buying it.

A poll paid for by the Maryland Democratic Party and conducted by the Garin-Hart-Yang Research Group shows incumbent Bartlett with 45 percent, Dougherty with 39 percent, and 16 percent of those surveyed undecided about the 6th Congressional District race.

Lisa Wright, a press secretary for Bartlett, says their polling shows a "dramatically different result" than the state Democratic Party's. She says Dougherty's polling is nothing more than "wishful spin."

But Dougherty insists the poll gives her reason to be optimistic.

"People have lost confidence in Congress and in my opponent's ability to fix what is broken," Dougherty, the former Mayor of Frederick, said in a statement. "They have had enough. I am thrilled with our prospects."

Wright shot back, suggesting Dougherty broke a Frederick record when she was defeated in the Democratic primary after only one term as mayor.

"The voters who know her the best like her the least," Wright told PolitickerMD.com.

Wright did agree that people have lost confidence in Congress.

"Under the Democratic leadership of the House and Senate, public confidence in the Congress has sunk," Wright said.