Ervin Drops Out Of Race For Governor, Backs Rushern Baker III

ANNAPOLIS, MD — After an unsuccessful fight to have ballots amended so her name is listed as a candidate for governor in Maryland's June 26 Democratic primary, Valerie Ervin is dropping out of the race for governor, according to reports. Ervin, once running as lieutenant governor for Kevin Kamenetz until he died suddenly last month, had assumed his role in the campaign, but will now support Prince George's County Executive Rushern L. Baker III.

The Washington Post reports that Ervin announced her decision late Tuesday night; early voting starts Thursday in the crowded race. Recent polls showed her support in the single digits and she could not use the campaign money that Kamenetz had raised.

A Washington Post-University of Maryland poll of likely voters released June 5 showed that 21 percent of those surveyed said they would support former NAACP president Ben Jealous for governor, while 16 percent would vote for Baker. Jealous, a political newcomer with progressive endorsements, is threatening Baker, who is backed by much of Maryland’s political establishment, the newspaper says.

Tuesday in a news release Ervin described Baker and his running mate, state prosecutor Elizabeth Embry, as “the right team to fight for the people of Maryland.” She said their gubernatorial ticket has “unmatched experience and passion,” the Post reports.

While Democrats have twice as many registered voters in the state as Republicans, the party nominee has a tough battle against Gov. Larry Hogan, who has 71 percent approval from all voters as he officially begins his campaign for re-election.

Ervin — a former Montgomery County Council member and a former school board member there — has campaigned for a $15 an hour wage, universal child care and renewable energy. If she campaigns for Baker, her stand on those issues can help him, says Mileah Kromer, a political-science professor at Goucher College.

“It needs to be more than just an endorsement; it might help if she advocates for him,” Kromer told the Post. “I’ve always felt she’s strong on the stump. People like her in person, and she can forcefully deliver a message.”

Ervin's candidacy was dealt a blow when a judge ruled there is not enough time before the primary to update the ballot. Anne Arundel County Circuit Judge William Mulford said he was sympathetic to Ervin's situation, but that the Board of Elections' decision not to make new ballots was "reasonable."

The AP reported Mulford's decision partially came from 13 of the state's 24 jurisdictions saying they wouldn't be able to get the election equipment ready and tested in time for early voting.

Ervin's attorney, Mariana Cordier, questioned why "uncertified" ballot paper could not be used to reprint the ballots, but election officials said the company contracted to provide paper said its paper is specific to the state's voting machines, which operate on an optical scanner.

Mulford wished Ervin luck in the election, but said "I just can't imagine turning this election upside down," to her attorney, according to the AP.

The other Democratic candidates include state Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr., attorney James Shea, tech entrepreneur Alec Ross, and former Michelle Obama aide Krishanti Vignarajah. Baker and Jealous are seeking to become the state's first African-American governor.

See more: Valerie Ervin To Replace Running Mate Kamenetz In Governor's Race

Article image courtesy of Valerie Ervin Campaign