Maryland : Prog Ben Jealous Beats Seven Democratic Contenders For Governor Primary – IOTW Report

Maryland : Prog Ben Jealous Beats Seven Democratic Contenders For Governor Primary

DC: Political progressive Ben Jealous pulled ahead of the seven other Democratic candidates he shared the ballot with on Tuesday, winning the Maryland primaries and earning himself a chance to take on Republican incumbent Gov. Larry Hogan in the November gubernatorial race.

Jealous won the nomination with 39.3 percent of the vote, beating his closest opponent Rushern Baker, who got 30.6 percent of the vote, The New York Times reported Tuesday. Jealous raked in 160,365 votes to Baker’s 124,942 votes. He also beat another contender, Sen. Rich Madaleno, who got a mere 5.6 percent of the vote.

If he wins the race for governor, the former NAACP executive director, who campaigned on issues such as Medicare for all, free state college tuition and criminal justice reform, would become the first black governor of Maryland and the third in the nation.

Jealous has been endorsed by Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, whose presidential campaign Jealous worked for during the 2016 election, as well as Democratic Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey.

Despite clinching the nomination ahead of Baker, who has been credited with boosting business in Prince George’s County as county executive, Jealous’s battle is uphill if he’s going to become governor. He faces Hogan, who has maintained the bipartisan support of his constituents in a deep blue state and is popularly backed by Democrats, with an approval rating of nearly 60 percent of the opposing party.   more here

7 Comments on Maryland : Prog Ben Jealous Beats Seven Democratic Contenders For Governor Primary

  1. Wow, what a list of endorsements! Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris and Cory Booker, jezz. I’m a Marylander, not a Dem, so that makes me odd man out even in my family (Holidays are so Great, SI). The one thing I am grateful for is less political ads on the few TV shows I watch. Don’t even get me started on Local News, which is why I never watch it. Been surprised that maybe in this rabid democratic state Hogan may get a second term. Fingers crossed.

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