Former NAACP head Ben Jealous to get endorsement for governor in Salisbury

Ben Jealous, a Democratic candidate to challenge incumbent Gov. Larry Hogan in Maryland, will be endorsed Saturday in Salisbury by the Lower Shore Progressive Caucus, his campaign said in a press release.

Jealous is a former national president and CEO of the NAACP.

The endorsement is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Saturday at Poplar Hill Mansion in Salisbury.

Jealous has been endorsed by a number of Maryland groups and national figures, including Maryland Working Families, Progressive Maryland, CASA in Action, senators Bernie Sanders and Cory Booker, former Obama administration official Van Jones and more, the campaign said.

At the endorsement, Jealous planned to discuss plans to grow the region's economy and tackle the opioid epidemic.

Jealous announced his campaign for governor in May 2017, according to the Associated Press.

The AP reported that under Jealous, the NAACP opposed the death penalty, "stop-and-frisk" police tactics and "stand-your-ground" self-defense laws, and voted to support same-sex marriage rights.

Other Democratic candidates include Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker, State Sen. Richard Madaleno, Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, former Michelle Obama aide Krishanti Vignarajah, attorney Jim Shea and businessman Alec Ross, the AP said.

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