Ten state lawmakers were among the 29 Maryland Democratic luminaries to announce Monday that they’re supporting former vice president Joe Biden for president in 2020.
The Biden campaign’s rollout of Maryland supporters coincided with a broader announcement of endorsements in four other states – Florida, Colorado, Tennessee and Utah. As might be expected with a candidate like Biden, many of the endorsements come from establishment Democrats who have been politically active for years – if not decades.
In Maryland, state Sen. James C. Rosapepe (D-Prince George’s) and Del. Erek Barron (D-Prince George’s) are co-chairmen of the Biden for president campaign in Maryland: Barron worked for Biden when Biden served in the U.S. Senate, and Rosapepe is a former U.S. ambassador to Romania under President Clinton.
Joining Barron and Rosapepe in endorsing Biden from the Maryland General Assembly Monday: Democratic Sens. Brian J. Feldman (Montgomery), Nancy J. King (Montgomery), Ronald N. Young (Frederick), Robert A. Zirkin (D-Baltimore County), along with Dels. Anne Healey (Prince George’s), Ken Kerr (Frederick), Dana L. Stein (Baltimore County) and Karen Lewis Young (Frederick).
Other endorsements came from former U.S. Rep. Albert R. Wynn; Anne Arundel County Council Chairman Andrew Pruski; College Park City Councilwoman Denise Mitchell; Anne Arundel Clerk of the Circuit Court Scott Poyer; Baltimore City Registrar of Wills Grace Connally; former state Sen. Gloria G. Lawlah; former State Sen. James Brochin; former Maryland State Teachers Association president Karl K. Pence; Anne Arundel County Democratic Chairman Patrick Armstrong; former member of the University System of Maryland Board of Regents Thomas Slater; health care advocate Vincent Demarco; former Maryland secretary of state John McDonough; former Baltimore city councilman Jim Kraft; former state economic development official Hannah Byron; former Talbot County Democratic Central Committee chairman Carl Widell; former state Sen. Ida G. Ruben; Howard County Democratic Central Committee member Herb Smith; Baltimore County Democratic Central Committee member Justin Holliday; and Baltimore County Democratic Central Committee Treasurer Doug Sentz.
“Each and every one of these leaders are trusted voices in their communities and I am proud to have earned their support,” Biden said in a statement.
Josh Kurtz
Founding editor
Founding Editor Josh Kurtz is a veteran chronicler of Maryland politics and government. He began covering the State House in 1995 for The Gazette newspapers, and has been writing about state and local politics ever since. He was an editor at Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper, for eight years, and for eight years was the editor of E&E Daily, which covers energy and environmental policy on Capitol Hill. For 6 1/2 years Kurtz wrote a weekly column on state politics for Center Maryland and has written for several other Maryland publications as well. Kurtz regularly gives speeches and appears on TV and radio shows to discuss Maryland politics.
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