O'Malley Running for President to 'Rebuild the American Dream'

By ELIZABETH JANNEY (Patch Staff)

Maryland’s former governor made it official Saturday—he’s running for president.

“I’m running for President to rebuild the American Dream,” O’Malley said as he addressed a crowd in Federal Hill Saturday morning.

He was surrounded by trailers, pins and signs bearing the slogan: “O’Malley for President 2016. New leadership,” and introduced by speakers who noted his role in passing the DREAM Act and same-sex marriage.

The declaration came nearly six months after the former Baltimore mayor (1999-2007) and Maryland governor (2007-2015) said he was “seriously considering” campaigning for President.

O’Malley will join Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont in challenging frontrunner Hillary Clinton for the Democratic party’s nomination in 2016.

Former Rhode Island governor and senator Lincoln Chafee and former Virginia Sen. James Webb have also been mentioned as possible Democratic candidates, while Vice President Joe Biden hasn’t yet said if he will again seek the nomination.

What’s Next

On Saturday afternoon, O’Malley is scheduled to meet with Democratic organizers at a union office in Davenport, Iowa, then head to the state capital of Des Moines for another meet-and-greet session, reports The Des Moines Register.

The former Maryland governor—relatively unknown in Iowa, where voters like to ask candidates questions one-on-one—has visited the nation’s first caucus state three times in recent months.

The Register says in his visits O’Malley touted his work to reduce crime while mayor of Baltimore; stated his support for labor unions; and called for raising the minimum wage and increasing access to overtime pay.

Patch editor Deb Belt contributed to this article.

• O’Malley Invites Public to Special Announcement
• DREAM Act Passes in Final Hours of Legislative Session
• O’Malley Signs Same-Sex Marriage Bill
• Group Plans Protests to Coincide with O’Malley Announcement