This article is from the source 'washpo' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/md-politics/baker-headed-to-south-carolina-to-campaign-for-omalley/2016/01/13/bebff6c0-ba46-11e5-99f3-184bc379b12d_story.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Baker headed to South Carolina to campaign for O’Malley Rushern Baker to South Carolina to campaign for Martin O’Malley
(35 minutes later)
His presidential campaign may be languishing, but former Maryland governor Martin J. O’Malley is looking to make an impact with South Carolina primary voters and is looking for help from a local ally to boost his message. His presidential campaign languishing, former Maryland governor Martin O’Malley is seeking help from a local ally to boost his message with South Carolina primary voters.
O’Malley has invited Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) to travel south to Charleston for Sunday’s debate as his representative in the spin room, speaking after the debate to reporters about the governor’s working relationship with the nation’s most affluent, majority African American jurisdiction.O’Malley has invited Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) to travel south to Charleston for Sunday’s debate as his representative in the spin room, speaking after the debate to reporters about the governor’s working relationship with the nation’s most affluent, majority African American jurisdiction.
Baker, who is one of the few state officials to endorse the governor, worked closely with O’Malley to secure state support for some of Prince George’s County’s biggest initiatives, including school construction dollars, public safety funds and economic development projects such as the construction of a new state agency building in New Carrollton. [In South Carolina, Sanders confronts his black-voter problem]
The two worked closely and appeared together regularly during O’Malley’s eight years as governor and head of the Democratic Party in Maryland. Baker, who is one of the few Maryland state officials to endorse the former governor, worked closely with O’Malley to secure state support for some of Prince George’s County’s biggest initiatives, including school construction dollars, public safety funds and economic development projects such as the construction of a new state agency building in New Carrollton.
Baker “believes that the best Democratic candidate who understands the needs and challenges and has a strong proven track record of working with African American communities is Martin O’Malley,” said Baker press secretary Scott Peterson. The two appeared together regularly during O’Malley’s eight years as governor and head of the Democratic Party in Maryland.
[O’Malley insists Democratic race could ‘turn on a dime’ ] While most of Maryland’s top Democrats have endorsed former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, Baker “believes that the best Democratic candidate who understands the needs and challenges and has a strong proven track record of working with African American communities is Martin O’Malley,” said Baker press secretary Scott Peterson.
In an interview with News Channel 8 on Wednesday, Baker touted the former governor’s accomplishments, including passage of the Dream Act, which extended in-state tuition to undocumented students. Prince George’s is home to one of the largest immigrant populations in the state. [O’Malley blames his campaign troubles on the DNC]
In 2015, Baker won national accolades for his administration’s work to revive the Washington suburb’s struggling economy after the downturn devastated family wealth and plunged thousands into foreclosure. He has traveled the country, promoting Prince George’s County and is on the short list of possible gubernatorial candidates in 2018. In an interview with News Channel 8 on Wednesday, Baker touted the O’Malley’s accomplishments in Maryland, including passage of the Dream Act, which extended in-state college tuition to undocumented students. Prince George’s is home to one of the largest immigrant populations in the state.
The O’Malley campaign said they are hoping that Baker can help the candidate appeal to black voters, many of whom helped win the state for President Barack Obama in the 2008 and 2012 Democratic primaries. The O’Malley campaign said they are hoping that Baker, considered a possible gubernatorial candidate in 2018, can help the former governor appeal to South Carolina’s black voters, who helped President Obama win the primary in 2008 and 2012.
The former governor sits in a distant third place and has struggled to emerge from the single digits in national polling. O’Malley sits in a distant third place in the 2016 Democratic race and has struggled to emerge from the single digits in national polling.