Updated at 9:25 a.m. — Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett on Thursday endorsed Chris Van Hollen for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Barbara Mikulski in 2016.
Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh followed with an endorsement for Van Hollen on Friday morning.
Leggett’s endorsement, in which he said Van Hollen “is widely respected by each and every one of our local leaders,” is hardly a surprise. Van Hollen endorsed Leggett last year in his primary race for a third term as county executive.
It does reinforce how quickly Van Hollen is moving to cement his place in the race to replace Mikulski. The Kensington resident and 8th District representative since 2003 is so far only candidate to announce. He did so just more than 48 hours after Mikulski announced she will be retiring.
“Chris has deftly navigated through extraordinary and difficult times to achieve the leadership role as ranking member of the House Budget Committee,” Leggett said. “Now, at this key point, our country needs a leader with a proven record of fighting to create jobs, make critical investments to keep America competitive, and protect the promises we’ve made to our seniors. It needs a leader with broad experience in transportation, infrastructure, and housing. And it needs a champion for the environment. Chris delivers on all counts.”
Frosh praised Van Hollen’s environmental and gun safety efforts while the two were both state senators in Annapolis. Frosh, the longtime District 16 state senator from Somerset, won the attorney general seat last year.
Meanwhile, plenty of potential candidates to replace Van Hollen in the 8th District continue to express their interest in that race. District 18 State Sen. Rich Madaleno told the Washington Blade on Thursday that he’s “seriously considering” a run.
District 16 Del. Ariana Kelly, County Councilmember Nancy Navarro and former County Councilmember Valerie Ervin told Bethesda Magazine roughly the same thing on Thursday. Bethesda Magazine also reported that Van Hollen will be in Annapolis today looking for support for his Senate bid.
The full Leggett and Frosh endorsements are after the jump.
Leggett:
As we look ahead to build a strong Maryland, we need a proven leader like Congressman Chris Van Hollen, whose reputation for leadership, deep intellect and courage is unrivaled. His swift rise through the ranks in the U.S. House of Representatives attests to the respect and esteem he commands from his colleagues, and from other leaders around this country.
Here, in his home District, Chris has demonstrated that he can forge deep and lasting relationships with the diverse range of people and organizations, representing their interests and ensuring the critical investments here at home that move our County and Maryland forward. He is widely respected by each and every one of our local leaders.
Chris has deftly navigated through extraordinary and difficult times to achieve the leadership role as ranking member of the House Budget Committee. Now, at this key point, our country needs a leader with a proven record of fighting to create jobs, make critical investments to keep America competitive, and protect the promises we’ve made to our seniors. It needs a leader with broad experience in transportation, infrastructure, and housing. And it needs a champion for the environment. Chris delivers on all counts.
I am proud to give my enthusiastic endorsement to Congressman Chris Van Hollen, because he is a proven leader who will move our State forward and he will serve all of us with dedication, unwavering vision, and integrity.
Frosh:
I’ve known Chris for over 20 years, and he is, without a doubt, an extraordinarily gifted and effective legislator. He is passionate, hardworking, and smart — exactly who Maryland needs in the Senate.
Chris was a tenacious partner in our efforts in the Maryland State Senate to protect our State’s natural resources and pass common sense gun safety legislation. He has been at the forefront of our most critical national debates both as a skilled policymaker and an effective strategist, fighting for an economy that gives every hard working Marylander a chance to get ahead.
