Over Memorial Day weekend, Ben Carson, the retired Johns Hopkins doctor famed for becoming the first surgeon to successfully separate Siamese twins at the head, dominated the first major poll of Republican primary candidates in the south.

Organized at the Southern Leadership Republican Conference in Oklahoma City and produced by SoonerPoll.com, Carson bested all 17 candidates, taking 25.4 percent of the total vote. Carson not only easily topped Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who finished in second with 20.5 percent of the vote, but also Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who took third with 16.6 percent, and establishment favorite Jeb Bush, who came in sixth with 4.9 percent of the tally.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie came in fourth place with 5.3 percent of the vote while Texas Gov. Rick Perry finished fifth with 5 percent of the tally.

Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard CEO who earned a master’s degree from the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business, finished in 10^th place.

Whether Carson’s momentum can be sustained through the debate season remains to be seen, of course. Carson has shot himself in the foot several times with public remarks, comparing Obamacare to slavery and comparing homosexuality to pedophilia and bestiality, for example. In 2013, he canceled his scheduled commencement address at Hopkins after his remarks about same-sex marriage sparked an outcry on campus. But there’s no doubting his popularity in conservative Christian and Tea Party circles—two groups that turn out in Republican primaries. Not only could Carson do well in the first Republican primary in Iowa, he could also potentially benefit if an early “SEC primary”—the name taken from the Southeastern Conference college football league—takes shape with states such as Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee coming together to hold primaries on the same day in early March.

Carson’s quick rise to prominence in the Republican Party began after a 2013 National Prayer Breakfast speech—a setting that’s usually nonpolitical—when he sharply criticized President Obama’s heath care law and tax polices. He opened up his home and talked to Baltimore magazine about his life story in 2009.

The other significant politico with strong Baltimore ties—former mayor and former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley—is expected to announce his Democratic presidential bid Saturday in Federal Hill Park.

Only time will tell whether Carson or O’Malley, who faces especially long odds against Democratic favorite Hillary Clinton, will be able to win or even significantly impact their respective primary races. But having them in the field should at least help keep things interesting for Maryland voters for the foreseeable (and long and often tedious) 2016 campaign.

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Monday morning, Sen. Barbara Mikulski surprised the political world by announcing that she would not seek reelection in 2016, immediately setting off a day of wild speculation about potential contenders to fill her shoes.

Then, this morning, the presumed Democratic frontrunner for her seat, former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, issued a statement praising Mikulski’s record, but declaring that he would not be a candidate for her office. He has been, after all, making the rounds in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina—early presidential primary states—where, it is presumed, he will eventually throw his hat in the ring.

Which brings us to renowned former Johns Hopkins’ neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson. The 63-year-old conservative Republican launched a formal presidential exploratory committee Tuesday—a key move that allows him to start raising money now for a campaign should he decide to enter the race. He made the announcement via video on his new website, which highlights his compelling personal story, groundbreaking career in pediatric neurosurgery, and philanthropy.

In his nearly 4-minute video announcement, Carson, who has never held elected office, says, “All of us are frustrated with the way Washington has let us down. Career politicians simply don’t understand the disappointment, anger, and pain in real America.”

He says that if he receives enough encouragement and support over the next few months, he’ll make for a run for president.

Although Carson has at times created controversy with his public remarks, such as expressing his opposition to same-sex marriage and Obamacare, as well as his creationist views, he remains popular among conservatives. At the recent, annual Conservative Political Action Conference in National Harbor, MD, Carson finished fourth in the straw poll with 11.4 percent of the vote, after Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul with 25.7 percent, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker with 21.4 percent, and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz with 11.5 percent.

It’s worth noting that Carson outpolled former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who finished with 8.3 percent of the tally, as well as Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry—all of whom received less than 4 percent of the vote. Carson, who has often appeared on Fox News as a political commentator, discussed his potential bid on Meet the Press this past weekend. At this point, there seems little to indicate why he wouldn’t run.

In fact, Carson, who talks often about his religious faith, may play particularly well in the Iowa Republican caucus and South Carolina primary if former Gov. Mike Huckabee does not enter the race.

O’Malley, on the other hand, has struggled to make much of dent in national Democratic presidential polls, and recently tried to distance himself from Hillary Clinton.

Time will tell if Carson or O’Malley will be able to gain traction in their potential primary campaign efforts, but what does seem clear is that neither man lacks ambition for the job.

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