Democrats and Republicans were both crying foul Monday about a poll in Baltimore County?s District 8 state Senate race that asked voters if spending taxpayer dollars to accommodate blind Republican candidate Craig Borne would make them vote against him.
“I call upon [incumbent Democrat] Sen. [Kathy] Klausmeier to step up and take responsibility for this paid research effort whose aim was to benefit her campaign by stirring up discrimination against individuals with disabilities,” Borne said in a statement. “Someone needs to be fired.”
Klausmeier said a poll was conducted last week for her campaign, but said she “would never ever ask something like that.”
“I?m offended that anyone would think I asked a question like that,” Klausmeier said. “There were questions about him in that poll, but nothing about his disability.”
Maryland Republican Party spokeswoman Audra Miller said she obtained a list of paraphrased poll questions from a woman who participated in the poll and took “copious notes.” Miller said the woman?s daughter is a volunteer for Borne?s campaign. The woman could not be reached for comment Monday afternoon.
The bulk of the poll asked respondents how strongly they agreed or disagreed with a list of reasons to vote for or against Klausmeier. The poll asked participants to agree or disagree with a list of reasons to vote against Borne that included the statement “it will cost taxpayers too much to accommodate his needs.”
The survey did not include a list of reasons to vote for him.
Eastern Research Services, a national telephone survey company, reportedly conducted the poll, but Klausmeier said the Democratic Party, not her campaign, funded the poll, and she could not confirm who conducted the poll.
The company did not return calls.
David Paulson, communications director for the Maryland Democratic Party, said the party did not pay for the poll, and accused Republicans of engaging in a “dirty tricks” campaign for Borne?s benefit.
“This sounds like Joe Steffen is back in the state of Maryland,” Paulson said. Steffen, a longtime aide of Gov. Robert Ehlrich, was fired last year after posting messages on a conservative Web site, claiming Mayor Martin O?Malley had an extramarital affair.
Borne said he found out about the poll after a close family friend and a campaign volunteer received one of the poll calls and were alarmed by the question about his blindness.
“It?s pathetic that they?d stoop to a question like that,” said state Republican Party Chairman John Kane. “It just goes to show ? their philosophy of burn and churn anyone who gets in their path.”
Ehrlich?s running mate, Kristen Cox, is also blind and has fielded questions about her disability and its impact on her current position as Ehrlich?s disabilities secretary.
“If they [Democrats] are going to do this on this level, I think we can expect the same shenanigans at higher levels,” Kane said of the possibility of attacks on Cox.
stracy@baltimoreexaminer.com
