A group of Montgomery County Democratic activists supporting Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign opened an office Tuesday night in Bethesda with a special guest: Tom Perez, the U.S. secretary of labor and a rumored vice presidential pick.
Perez, who lives in Takoma Park and who served on the County Council from 2002 to 2006, was likely the highest profile politico at the event, held in the ninth-floor office space on Woodmont Avenue.
Council President Nancy Floreen, who served with Perez on the council, tweeted a photo of Perez talking to a standing room-only crowd with the message “Our next VP cheers on the opening of the Bethesda Hillary campaign office. Go Tom Perez!!!”
Our next VP cheers on the opening of the Bethesda Hillary campaign office. Go Tom Perez!!! pic.twitter.com/Q1EJukFvk5
— Nancy Floreen (@NancyFloreen) April 12, 2016
Perez, who left the council in an unsuccessful bid for state attorney general, has been rumored to be a potential vice presidential pick for Clinton if she wins the Democratic nomination.
MoCo4Hillary, the group that opened the Clinton office Tuesday, claims more than 5,000 members led by an advisory team of 30 “committed, connected and wise Democratic activists.” Some volunteered throughout the country for Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign.
The group is co-chaired by Kensington resident Karen Murphy and Bethesda resident Robbie Rich. Tuesday’s event attracted between 85 to 100 people.
The most recent Maryland Democratic presidential primary poll from NBC4 and Marist shows Clinton with a more than 23-point advantage over fellow Democrat Bernie Sanders ahead of the April 26 primary in Maryland. Early voting begins Thursday and will run through April 21.
Clinton held a campaign event Sunday in Baltimore and Bill Clinton is set to stump for his wife Wednesday at voter-rich Leisure World in Silver Spring.
The Sanders campaign this week launched its first TV ad in the state. It features Erica Garner, the daughter of Eric Garner, the Staten Island, New York, man who died after being placed in a chokehold by a police officer. The Clinton campaign began airing an ad Wednesday alluding to high-profile cases of young African Americans who died in interactions with police.
