Former DNC Chairman Tom Perez hinted at running for Maryland governor in the state’s 2022 election, saying he’s “taking a look.”
“We have an open governor seat next year, and our current incumbent is term-limited, and so [I’m] taking a look at that, and we’ll see what happens,” Perez told the Bill Press Pod.
Perez said that his first priority is ensuring a smooth transition in the Democratic National Convention to Chairman Jaime Harrison, who was elected last week. After that, he plans to “relax.”
Next Governor of Maryland? Could be Former DNC Chair Tom Perez. He says he’s thinking hard about it. He’d be great! On The Bill Press Pod.https://t.co/TbDSGSTfLq
— Bill Press (@BillPressPod) January 26, 2021
“I’m going to relax a little bit,” Perez said. “I thought we were going to be able to relax a little bit after Nov. 4, and we ended up with that extended situation in Georgia, so we were ‘all hands on deck’ there.”
The former chairman said that he’s looking at “a number of things moving forward” but touted his Maryland bona fides and connection to former Gov. Martin O’Malley, a two-term Democratic governor who ran an unsuccessful presidential campaign in 2016.
“I’m looking at a number of things moving forward,” Perez said. “I live here in Maryland, and I served in state government in Maryland under Martin O’Malley. I was a local elected official where I live in Montgomery County, Maryland. I love the great state of Maryland. I’m looking at a couple of things here perhaps. … I’m going to figure out what’s the best way to continue that public service.”
Despite the states not having gone for a single Republican presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan in 1988, current Gov. Larry Hogan, a Republican, was elected to the governorship twice, winning by nearly 12 percentage points in 2018.
But Maryland’s gubernatorial term limits prevent Hogan from mounting a second reelection campaign, and many have speculated the governor is planning to throw his hat in the ring for the 2024 presidential election.
