The campaign of state Sen. E.J. Pipkin is touting a new poll. The survey, by McLaughlin & Associates, surveyed 300 likely Republican voters from Dec. 18-19, and asked them who they were supporting in the primary. Among the major three candidates, incumbent Rep. Wayne Gilchrest led with 33%, followed by Pipkin with 27.2%, and state Sen. Andy Harris was third with 26.8%.

“We are the candidate for Republicans,” Pipkin Press Secretary Andi Morony said during an interview with PolitickerMD.com.

Morony said the campaign was “encouraged” by the results of the poll; expressing confidence in the fact that Pipkin was ahead of Harris and within striking distance of Gilchrest.

“Andy Harris has been in this race for over six months and has spent nearly a million dollars, and we are ahead of him,” Morony said.

Pipkin officially announced his candidacy on Nov. 29.

“The more district 1 voters see that Andy Harris is not the right choice—the more we will progress, Morony said.

“As people become more aware of what E.J. stands for—the better we will be,” Morony later added.

Both the Pipkin and Harris campaigns have been running to the right of Gilchrest, a moderate. Morony said that the campaign was not trying to be the “alternative to the incumbent,” and said that she was not worried that Pipkin and Harris could split the conservative vote.

She reiterated her point that Pipkin was the “best candidate” for Republican voters.

“We believe voters want conservative representation on the Eastern Shore,” Morony said. “E.J. has done nothing but work hard for the people of the first district.”