Former Democratic primary candidate and Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley endorsed Rep. Chris Van Hollen in the Maryland Senate race on Monday.
O’Malley’s endorsement of the progressive candidate comes five days after the Baltimore Sun endorsed Van Hollen to replace longtime Maryland Sen. Barbara Mikulski as she retires.
“Chris knows what’s needed to move Maryland forward, and he knows how to get things done,” O’Malley said in his endorsement. “I stood with Barbara Mikulski in her historic campaign for U.S. Senate in 1986, and I’m standing with Chris tomorrow on Election Day. I hope you will join me in voting for a progressive who will get things done for the state we love.”
The former governor called Van Hollen a “reliable, progressive partner,” pointing to their time working together in the Maryland legislature. O’Malley also cited Van Hollen’s work combatting the NRA, to distribute education funding, to ban drilling in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and plans to fight Wall Street.
This is O’Malley’s first major campaign endorsement since he dropped out of the Democratic presidential primary in January after he failed to perform well in the Iowa caucus. Although Maryland votes on Tuesday, O’Malley has yet to say whether he will vote for Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders.
