Former NAACP chairman and CEO Ben Jealous has defeated Prince George’s County executive Rushern Banker to win the Maryland Democratic gubernatorial nomination. The victory is considered an upset of Maryland’s party establishment.
Jealous, 45, beat Baker, who was backed by most of Maryland’s elected Democratic officials. Jealous, who ran on a boldly progressive platform, was backed by teachers’ unions, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), and comedian Dave Chapelle. He had never previously sought elected office, ran on a platform of universal Medicare for Maryland and free tuition to public colleges.
In November Jealous will now face Gov. Larry Hogan (R-Md.). He is considered the underdog against Hogan. if he wins, Jealous will be the state’s first black governor.
Information from This Week Magazine and The Washington Post contributed to this report.
