High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! 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". In October 2011 he was named as Chairman of Mitt Romney`s Maryland campaign for the 2012 Republican nomination for President.