27 Facts About Bob Ehrlich

Bob Ehrlich was the first Republican to serve as governor of Maryland since Spiro Agnew left office in 1969.

Bob Ehrlich served one term before being defeated in his 2006 re-election bid by Democrat Martin O'Malley.

Bob Ehrlich was born in the Southwest Baltimore suburb of Arbutus, Maryland, the son of Nancy, a legal secretary, and Robert Leroy Bob Ehrlich, a commission car salesman.

In November 1986, Bob Ehrlich won a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing parts of Baltimore County from 1987 to 1995.

Bob Ehrlich announced his candidacy for the open seat and won the election in November 1994.

Bob Ehrlich was a member of the subcommittees on health, telecommunications and the Internet, and environment and hazardous materials; the Congressional Biotechnology Caucus, where he served as co-chairman; and the Congressional Steel Caucus.

Bob Ehrlich announced he would be forgoing reelection in 2002 to run for governor.

On March 15,2002, Bob Ehrlich announced his candidacy for the governorship.

Bob Ehrlich attacked Glendening's record, tying his Democratic opponent, Lt.

Bob Ehrlich promised, if elected, to increase school funding, balance the budget, and protect the Chesapeake Bay.

Bob Ehrlich's running mate was Michael Steele, an African-American and the chair of the Maryland Republican Party.

Townsend's popularity continued to fall when it was reported that much of her campaign money was given by out-of-state donors; Bob Ehrlich remained on the attack while the lieutenant governor's poll numbers declined.

Bob Ehrlich was the sixth Republican governor in state history and the first since Spiro Agnew left office to take the Vice Presidency in 1969.

Bob Ehrlich said "fiscal responsibility, education, health, and the environment, public safety, and commerce" were the "Five Pillars" of his administration.

Bob Ehrlich opposed sales and income tax increases and supported legalization of slot machines to raise revenue.

In 2004, Bob Ehrlich signed the Chesapeake Bay Restoration Act: it funds upgrades of water treatment plants to reduce pollution discharge by a surcharge on business and residential water and septic bills.

In 2006, Bob Ehrlich signed a law banning police traffic ticket quotas.

In January 2006, Bob Ehrlich vetoed the "Fair Share Health Care Bill," known as the Walmart Bill, which required businesses with more than 10,000 employees in the state to either spend eight percent of payroll on employee health care, or pay that amount to a state health program for the uninsured.

Bob Ehrlich, after consulting with counsel regarding the legal validity of the bill, vetoed the proposed legislation as it would run afoul of federal law.

Governor Bob Ehrlich opted to seek a second term and did not face opposition in the Republican primary.

In March 2007, Bob Ehrlich endorsed former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani for the US presidency.

Bob Ehrlich was the Chairman of Giuliani's Mid-Atlantic Campaign Committee.

Governor Bob Ehrlich has guest lectured at Towson University in Professor Richard Vatz's political persuasion class twice a year since 1993.

In June 2010, Bob Ehrlich was endorsed by Terrapin basketball standout and Memphis Grizzlies NBA draft pick Greivis Vasquez.

On June 30,2010, Bob Ehrlich announced that his running mate would be Mary Kane, who had served under Governor Bob Ehrlich as secretary of state, August 2,2005, to January 17,2007, and as deputy secretary of state and chief legal counsel, March 2003 to August 2,2005.

In October 2011, Bob Ehrlich was named chairman of Mitt Romney's Maryland campaign for election as president in 2012.

Bob Ehrlich spent most of his tenure fundraising for the Maryland Republican Party as a whole.