CATONSVILLE, Md (WMAR) — As voters head out to cast their votes this Primary Election Day, recent polls forecast a close gubernatorial race, with many undecided voters.
Marylanders will be picking Gov. Larry Hogan’s successor. The three democratic candidates that appear to be leading in a tie are Comptroller Peter Franchot, author Wes Moore and former DNC Chairmen Tom Perez. The website 538 projects Franchot as the clear winner in most of their simulations.
On the republican side, it's mostly a two-candidate race between Gov. Hogan-backed candidate Kelly Schulz and State Delegate Dan Cox, who is endorsed by President Donald Trump.
538 believes Schulz will pull through in the primary, but she only won a small portion of their simulations against their favorite Franchot in the general election.
Still, polls show she stands more of a chance against a democrat than Cox.
A Goucher poll suggested if Cox were to win the primary, only 9 percent of democrats surveyed would consider voting for him. 23 percent said they'd vote for Schulz.
Schulz has accused the Democratic Governors Association of meddling to push Cox ahead, paying over a million dollars for an ad she said showed some support for Cox by emphasizing his conservative credentials.
“They're afraid they'll lose to me in November. They're afraid of losing four out of the last six governor's races here in Maryland. And because of this, they're willing to support a lying conspiracy theorist like Dan Cox, who is a danger to our party in our state just so that they can take back the Maryland State House,” said Schulz.
Cox said that he was unaware of the ad and believes Schulz and the governor are defaming his campaign.
“I think it's a total mispresentation of the truth. We have a path to victory. The people of Maryland do not want mandates,” said Cox. “My campaign is about restoring freedom to the free state. What's so wrong about that? Nothing.”
Even with these projections, the recent Goucher poll shows the majority of voters can still be swayed.
Of the democrats polled, 63 percent said they could change their mind and another 35 percent said they are still undecided.
Of the republicans polled, 47 percent said they could change their mind and another 44 percent are still undecided.
The polls are open until 8 p.m.
