That's a big reason Glendening has spent so much time attempting to link Sauerbrey to the National Rifle Association, a tactic Sauerbrey has derided as unfair. Among these voters, Glendening holds a 2 to 1 advantage. Glendening also has a modest lead in the poll among voters who say abortion is a top voting issue. Among voters who believe abortions should be harder to obtain, Sauerbrey leads 58 to 36 percent. But Glendening holds a similar-size lead among voters who favor abortion rights, and there are substantially more of them.
Education remains the single most important issue to Maryland voters.
Among these voters, Glendening leads Sauerbrey 57 to 37 percent. He also holds an advantage among voters who rate crime as a top issue, largely because African Americans are more likely than whites to view crime as a critical concern. By 52 percent to 41 percent, voters said government should attempt to reduce traffic congestion by providing more public transportation rather than by building more roads. Sauerbrey's strongest issues appear to be taxes and the economy. One reason is the widespread perception that the state isn't doing as well as it should be.