Maryland Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Perez has picked Shannon Sneed, a former Baltimore City Councilwoman, as his running mate in the 2022 campaign.
Perez said that Sneed has “a proven track record of getting things done for working families” that makes her a strong partner.
Perez is a former federal labor secretary and Department of Justice official who launched his campaign for governor last summer with promises to improve Maryland’s education, economy and health care.
Perez, 60, also led the Democratic National Committee and early in his career served on the Montgomery County Council.
Sneed brings both government and communications experience to Perez’s campaign. She served one term on the Baltimore City Council before losing a bid for council president in 2020. She then joined U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s staff as a regional director for the Baltimore area. She recently left that job.
Sneed’s background also includes experience as a TV news editor and producer in Baltimore.
“I believe my work and my life experiences have prepared me for this moment to lead,” Sneed, 41, said in a statement issued by the campaign.
Sneed said she and Perez discussed the opportunity for months, eventually forging “a strong partnership.”
“I’m thrilled to join forces to create a Maryland that works for everyone, where ZIP code never determines destiny,” she said in the statement.
“When it came to selecting a lieutenant governor to join the ticket, I knew that Marylanders deserve a leader who has dedicated their life to jobs and justice and has a proven track record of getting things done for working families. From our first conversation, I knew that leader is Shannon Sneed,” Perez said.
The newly-minted Perez-Sneed campaign posted a video on Thursday showing the two of them knocking on her mother’s door and sharing the news. “I got chosen!” Sneed announces, holding up a purple Perez campaign sign.
The video continues with the two of them talking about the campaign partnership.
“You have what it takes to bring us together,” Sneed says to Perez in the video.
Maryland Policy & Politics
Perez tells Sneed how he realized the two of them had an important “alignment of values”
“I think that together we will build a Maryland that works for everyone,” Perez says in the video.
The Perez-Sneed team is the latest ticket to be announced in the crowded governor’s race, as a Feb. 22 deadline looms for candidates to file their paperwork and name running mates.
In the Democratic field, Rushern L. Baker III, a former Prince George’s County executive, has teamed up with Nancy Navarro, a member of the Montgomery County Council. Peter Franchot, the state comptroller, selected Monique Anderson-Walker, who resigned from the Prince George’s County Council after joining the campaign. Author and former nonprofit executive Wes Moore chose former state delegate Aruna Miller from Montgomery County. And John King, a former U.S. education secretary, named Michelle Siri of the Women’s Law Center of Maryland as his running mate. Ashwani Jain, who held positions in the Obama White House, chose LaTrece Hawkins Lytes, a Prince George’s County resident who has worked in health advocacy.
Other declared Democratic candidates include: Jon Baron, who works in public policy for a philanthropic foundation; Doug Gansler, a former state attorney general; Laura Neuman, a former Anne Arundel County executive; and Jerome Segal, founder of the now-defunct socialist Bread and Roses Party.
In the Republican field, Del. Dan Cox, endorsed by former President Donald Trump, is running on a ticket with attorney and conservative activist Gordana Schifanelli. Kelly Schulz, who recently resigned as Gov. Larry Hogan’s commerce secretary, has not announced a running mate.
Perennial candidate Robin Ficker, who regularly runs for a variety of offices on an anti-tax platform, is running as a Republican as well. Baltimore County resident Joe Werner filed candidacy paperwork as a Republican with Minh Thanh Long as his running mate.