Flanked by colleagues, union officials and her family, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake formally announced her candidacy for the Baltimore City Council presidency on Thursday, a job she currently holds.
Calling Baltimore a city in crisis, Rawlings-Blake touted her plan to put more police on the streets and improve public schools as essential ingredients for improving the city.
“We need to be safe so we have a present, and educated so we have a future,” she said.
Blake cited her creation of a City Council committee dedicated solely to education, as well as a call for state officials to add 15 officers to the city?s warrant task force as one of her many accomplishments.
On hand for the endorsementwas Glenn Middleton, head of AFSCME Council 67, a union that represents roughly 10,000 city employees. Although he and several union representatives attended, his organization had not formally decided to endorse Blake.
“It?s likely, but we still have to go through the process,” he said.
Former congressman and former National Association for the Advancement of Colored People President Kweisi Mfume also was on hand to endorse Blake.
“She is sensitive, and sensible, and a leader,” he said.
