After eight years as a Maryland state delegate followed by eight years as Prince George’s County executive, and then an unsuccessful run for Maryland governor in 2018, Rushern Baker has one advantage among the democratic candidates for governor. His name is well known and he also claims an edge in experience.
"That no other candidates have in this race of actually dealing with critical issues facing the state and the nation. That’s health care education and crime," said Baker as he announced his run for Maryland governor.
7News caught up with Baker at a campaign event at FedEx field. He advocates keeping the team in Prince George's County without spending public funds on a new stadium.
"Because all the things you want in a city are right here," said Baker.
But much of his campaign has been focused on Baltimore City. He said he’d move the state capitol there and declare a state of emergency.
"It is appalling that in Baltimore City, over the last 8 years, you’ve had almost 2,000 young African Americans in the streets and nobody finds that appalling," he added. "That doesn’t mean you bring in the National Guard but it does mean you focus on the Maryland police. You focus on health care, you focus on education as if it’s the crisis that it is."
Baker calls himself a moderate democrat. He is a lawyer and graduate of Howard University where he met his wife Christa a decade ago. She was stricken with early-onset Alzheimers and he became her primary caregiver until her death last September. Baker says being home with her during the pandemic and watching world events inspired him to run again.
"You talk about how COVID exposed the fact our education system is unequal. The fact folks couldn’t log on online. Kids who were behind are further behind," said Baker. 'All of those things I just couldn’t sit."
He is also undeterred by his primary loss in the race for governor four years ago. After all, he ran and lost twice before being elected Prince George’s County Executive in 2010.