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| Kweisi Mfume to seek congressional seat vacated by death of Elijah Cummings | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Former NAACP chief and U.S. lawmaker Kweisi Mfume said Monday that he will run for the Maryland congressional seat that he held for a decade and was most recently held by his friend, the late congressman Elijah E. Cummings. | Former NAACP chief and U.S. lawmaker Kweisi Mfume said Monday that he will run for the Maryland congressional seat that he held for a decade and was most recently held by his friend, the late congressman Elijah E. Cummings. |
| Considered an elder statesman in Baltimore politics, Mfume, 71, occupied the 7th district seat from 1987 to 1996, when he stepped aside to lead the NAACP. Cummings, who died Oct. 17, succeeded him in Congress. | |
| Mfume’s up-from-the-streets story is well known in the district. He dropped out of high school and got involved with crime after his mother, who raised him, died of cancer. Inspired by her memory, he says, he returned to school, earning degrees from Morgan State University and Johns Hopkins University, and dedicated his life to civil rights and public service. | Mfume’s up-from-the-streets story is well known in the district. He dropped out of high school and got involved with crime after his mother, who raised him, died of cancer. Inspired by her memory, he says, he returned to school, earning degrees from Morgan State University and Johns Hopkins University, and dedicated his life to civil rights and public service. |
| Mfume says he and Cummings met in the late 1970s, when Mfume was an activist and radio commentator. They and hit it off immeditely, despite campaigning for opposing political factions, and remained close friends until Cummings’s death. | Mfume says he and Cummings met in the late 1970s, when Mfume was an activist and radio commentator. They and hit it off immeditely, despite campaigning for opposing political factions, and remained close friends until Cummings’s death. |
| “Today, we are here without Elijah,” Mfume said Monday, announcing his candidacy before a crowd of supporters at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in downtown Baltimore. “I honestly believe that I’ve got to find a way to make sure what he and so many others fought for is not lost, tossed to the side or forgotten ... If I were not ready to go to work on Day 1, I would not be here.” | “Today, we are here without Elijah,” Mfume said Monday, announcing his candidacy before a crowd of supporters at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum in downtown Baltimore. “I honestly believe that I’ve got to find a way to make sure what he and so many others fought for is not lost, tossed to the side or forgotten ... If I were not ready to go to work on Day 1, I would not be here.” |
| Mfume was elected to Baltimore City Council at age 31, winning by three votes. He led the council’s committee on health policy and worked to diversity city government and divest city funds from apartheid government of South Africa. | Mfume was elected to Baltimore City Council at age 31, winning by three votes. He led the council’s committee on health policy and worked to diversity city government and divest city funds from apartheid government of South Africa. |
| He won the seat of retiring congressman Parren Mitchell in 1986, and served for about a decade, including a stint as chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. | He won the seat of retiring congressman Parren Mitchell in 1986, and served for about a decade, including a stint as chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. |
| Mfume successfully co-sponsored and helped to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act, strengthened the Equal Credit Opportunity Law and co-authored and successfully amended the Civil Rights Bill of 1991 to apply its provisions to U.S. citizens working for American-based companies abroad. He also sponsored legislative initiatives banning assault weapons, which later expired, and establishing stalking as a federal crime. Mfume attempted a comeback in 2005, when he sought the Senate seat being vacated by Paul Sarbanes. He narrowly lost the Democratic nomination to Ben Cardin. | Mfume successfully co-sponsored and helped to pass the Americans with Disabilities Act, strengthened the Equal Credit Opportunity Law and co-authored and successfully amended the Civil Rights Bill of 1991 to apply its provisions to U.S. citizens working for American-based companies abroad. He also sponsored legislative initiatives banning assault weapons, which later expired, and establishing stalking as a federal crime. Mfume attempted a comeback in 2005, when he sought the Senate seat being vacated by Paul Sarbanes. He narrowly lost the Democratic nomination to Ben Cardin. |
| Mfume is the second well-known Democrat to announce plans to run in the deep-blue district, following Del. Talmadge Branch (D-Baltimore City), the majority whip in the Maryland House of Delegates. Cummings’s widow, Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, who chairs the Maryland Democratic Party, said last week that she is seriously considering entering the race as well, as are a host of other Democrats. | Mfume is the second well-known Democrat to announce plans to run in the deep-blue district, following Del. Talmadge Branch (D-Baltimore City), the majority whip in the Maryland House of Delegates. Cummings’s widow, Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, who chairs the Maryland Democratic Party, said last week that she is seriously considering entering the race as well, as are a host of other Democrats. |
| The filing deadline is Nov. 20. A special primary election will be held Feb. 4, and the special general election will be held April 28, the same day voters will head to polls to nominate candidates for the 2020 election. | The filing deadline is Nov. 20. A special primary election will be held Feb. 4, and the special general election will be held April 28, the same day voters will head to polls to nominate candidates for the 2020 election. |
| The district includes parts of Baltimore City as well as Baltimore and Howard counties. | The district includes parts of Baltimore City as well as Baltimore and Howard counties. |
| At funeral for Cummings: ‘It now falls on us to continue his work’ | At funeral for Cummings: ‘It now falls on us to continue his work’ |
| ‘His voice could shake mountains’: Cummings lies in state at the U.S. Capitol | ‘His voice could shake mountains’: Cummings lies in state at the U.S. Capitol |
| Obituary: Elijah E. Cummings, lawmaker and civil rights leader, dies at 68 | Obituary: Elijah E. Cummings, lawmaker and civil rights leader, dies at 68 |
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