Topic: Robert Ehrlich

Robert Leroy "Bob" Ehrlich, Jr. (born November 25, 1957) is an American politician who served as the 60th Governor of Maryland from 2003 to 2007. A Republican, he became governor after defeating Democratic opponent Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, a member of the Kennedy family, 51% to 48% in the 2002 elections. Prior to serving as governor, Ehrlich represented Maryland's 2nd Congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives and was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates. Ehrlich lost to Democrat Martin O'Malley in the November 2006 elections. He was the only incumbent governor to be defeated in the November 2006 elections. In 2010, Ehrlich ran again, hoping to defeat O'Malley, but lost again. Ehrlich then announced via his web site that he "will return to private life".

Ehrlich was born in the Southwest Baltimore suburb of Arbutus, Maryland. After attending Gilman School, he received degrees from Princeton University (1979) on a partial scholarship, where he was the captain of the football team and a member of the Cap and Gown Club, and Wake Forest University Law School (1982).

After law school, Ehrlich worked for Ober, Kaler, Grimes and Shriver, a Baltimore law firm. In November 1986, Ehrlich won a seat in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing parts of Baltimore County from 1987 to 1995. He was a moderate Republican representing a Democratic stronghold.