Everett Browning will serve as acting chair of the Maryland Democratic Party until a permanent replacement is chosen to fill the vacancy left by Yvette Lewis.
A U.S. Navy and Gulf War veteran, Browning will take the reins following the resignation of Lewis, who left effective Oct. 6. His first official event as acting chair is a reception Oct. 28 in Potomac.
According to his LinkedIn account, Browning is the co-founder and president of Coalition of Minority Business Owners, a cybersecurity and information technology company that provides consulting and support services for commercial organizations and federal and state agencies. He also serves as vice president of 100 Black Men of Prince George’s County, a community leadership program.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and media studies from the University of Maryland Global Campus.
Browning ran unsuccessfully in the 2018 Democratic primary for the state Senate in District 24 in Prince George’s County, coming in third behind incumbent Joanne Benson and Tiffany Alston. Benson, who has served in the Maryland General Assembly for 32 years, continues to represent the district, while Alston is now a member of the House of Delegates.
Also, Browning served last winter on Gov. Wes Moore’s transition team on a committee that studied how to make Maryland more competitive.
According to the bylaws of the state party, the party’s first vice chair becomes the acting chair if the elected chair dies or resigns. Browning served as Lewis’ first vice chair.
The party’s state central committee must elect a replacement chair within 60 days of Browning stepping into his role. Moore said in a statement upon the announcement of Lewis’ departure that he will recommend a candidate to the committee.