Maryland's Democratic convention delegates unanimously support Harris for president

ANNAPOLIS — Maryland's entire delegation to the 2024 Democratic National Convention announced Monday that it has endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the 2024 Democratic nomination for president.

The endorsement was announced in a news release Monday morning from the Maryland Democratic Party. Delegates will officially cast their votes at the convention, scheduled Aug. 19-22 in Chicago.

Delegates met virtually and voted to unanimously to endorse Harris, according to the release, with Gov. Wes Moore in attendance. Maryland is sending 63 delegates to the convention, selected by voters according to their congressional districts during the Democratic primary in May.

District 6, which includes Washington County, has six delegates. None of them are from Washington County.

While some candidates for convention delegate ran under an "uncommitted" label, all those who were actually elected were committed to President Biden, who announced Sunday he was withdrawing from the race.

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But they quickly pivoted to pledge their allegiance to Harris, whom Biden endorsed.

"As a delegate to the DNC, I fully plan on supporting Kamala Harris to be our Democratic nominee for President next month and look forward to electing her as our nation’s first female president this November," Jared Schablein of the Lower Shore Progressive Caucus, a convention delegate from Wicomico County, said in statement Tuesday morning.

"Kamala has campaign infrastructure and experience needed not only to defeat Donald Trump but also to continue the four years of progress we just had," he said.

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"Before passing the torch, President Biden led the most progressive agenda in modern history with a 50/50 Senate, achieving landmark victories such as codifying gay and interracial marriage into federal law, making lynching a federal crime, making Juneteenth a federal holiday, passing the biggest climate and infrastructure bills ever, and signing significant legislation on gun reform, manufacturing, and veterans' healthcare. He also united the West behind Ukraine, expanded NATO, ended the forever war in Afghanistan, and ended our drone war."

"Vice President Kamala Harris possesses experience that uniquely qualifies her to serve as President of the United States, a strong track record of delivering for the American people on the heels of the Biden Harris Administration, and the leadership to unite the party through this unprecedented time,” said state party Chairman Ken Ulman in the party's release. “The Maryland Democratic Delegation stands unanimously behind her candidacy, eager to cast our votes for her and campaign vigorously for a historic victory this November.”

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Maryland's Democratic convention delegates unanimously support Harris for president