Rasmussen Reports

The Baltimore County Executive's Regional Advisory Board for Business and Education voted to support November's slots referendum on Friday. The EAB -- a forum to the regional economy -- is made up of representatives from business, government and education.

"I have been working hard to ensure the passage of the slots referendum this November," said county executive Jim Smith (D-Baltimore County) in a statement. "I am very pleased that this group-who represents a broad cross-section of employers, and the educators who work directly with students-are taking such a strong position on this issue. The $600 million that will be dedicated to the Education Trust Fund if slots pass, will be impossible to replace."

A new poll suggests far more Marylanders are for passing November's slots referendum than are against it.

The poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports asks if respondents would vote for or against the proposed constitutional amendment were the election held today.

Fifty-four percent of respondents said they were for passing the referendum, 35 percent were against it and 11 percent weren't sure.

A new poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports shows Barack Obama with a 23-point lead over John McCain in the Free State.

The poll found 60 percent of those surveyed in support of the Democratic presidential nominee, and 37 percent backing McCain. Three percent of those polled were undecided.

Gov. Martin O'Malley (D): Campaign PhotoA new Rasmussen Reports poll finds that Gov. Martin O'Malley (D-Baltimore) is once again more popular than President George W. Bush (R).

37 percent of likely voters give O'Malley a positive job performance rating, while 60 percent are negative. Similarly, Bush is rated 32 percent positive to 68 percent negative.

A Washington Times/Rasmussen poll conducted in January had given Bush a 36 percent approval rating to O'Malley's 33 percent. The poll came shortly after 2007's special legislative session, when tax increases and budget cuts flooded local news coverage.

And while the toplines do not show a great movement in opinion for the governor, he has made some headway since the year began.

Concerns about the economy are the top issues with likely Maryland voters in the upcoming presidential election, a new Rasmussen Reports poll shows.

The survey finds that issues like jobs and economic growth are the highest concerns for 39 percent of those polled, followed by national security at 26 percent.

12 percent consider Social Security and health care their top priorities, while 10 percent listed taxes and government spending and 7 percent most worried about same-sex marriage and abortion.

Senators John McCain (R) and Barack Obama (D) with Pastor Rick Warren Saturday night, two days before the poll was taken: Getty Images Photo

Poll Suggest Voters Suspicious Of Media Bias

A new Rasmussen Reports poll has Democratic nominee Barack Obama leading his Republican counterpart John McCain by a solid 10 point margin in the quest for Maryland's 10 electoral votes this November.

53 percent of voters are firm in their vote for Obama, while 41 percent say they'll definitely cast their ballots for McCain. A paltry 4 percent are undecided, while 2 percent will vote 'other.'

With those "leaning" towards one candidate or the other are counted, McCain gains an additional 2 percent -- a point each from the "undecided" and 'other' categories -- and Obama gains none, cutting his lead to 10.

The 2000 and 2004 Democratic nominees, Al Gore and John Kerry, carried the state by an average of 15 points over Republican President George W. Bush.