WASHINGTON 鈥斅燢rish Vignarajah is running for governor of Maryland and she鈥檚 setting herself apart from the crowded field of Democrats by doing something none of her male competitors can do: Breast feed.
In her just-released , Vignarajah is shown nursing her daughter, Alana. The former聽policy adviser to Michelle Obama makes her gender a centerpiece in the ad, stating, 鈥渢hey say no man can beat Larry Hogan. Well, I鈥檓 no man.鈥� That鈥檚 a direct reference to the popularity of incumbent Republican Governor Larry Hogan, whose approval ratings remain high statewide.
Vignarajah is one of eight Democrats running for governor and the only woman. She鈥檚 also chosen a woman, Sharon Blake, as her running mate. Blake is a former Baltimore Teachers Union president and is African-American. The last time an all-female ticket appeared in Maryland鈥檚 gubernatorial race was 1994, but this marks the first time in Maryland鈥檚 history the ticket includes two women of color.
In her ad, Vignarajah states that no woman currently holds statewide elected office. U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski retired in 2016; and the woman who ran to fill that seat, U.S. Representative Donna Edwards, lost to Senator Chris Van Hollen. Vignarajah wraps up the ad by saying, 鈥淚鈥檓 a mom, I鈥檓 a woman and I want to be your next governor.鈥�
