Former Maryland Governor and Democratic Party heavy-hitter Martin O’ Malley on Saturday threw his hat in the ring for the 2016 race to the Oval Office, emerging at this point as the strongest intra-party challenger to Hillary Clinton.
Although Ms. Clinton is considered to be the Party’s frontrunner, Mr. O’ Malley is a nationally recognised figure and has built a reputation for strong State and local-level governance as the two-term Governor of Maryland, between 2007 and 2015, and also as the Mayor of Baltimore between 1999 and 2007.
He is likely to be a proponent of traditional Democratic Party values, arguably further to the left of Ms. Clinton, who is viewed as a centrist candidate.
Announcing his candidature from Baltimore this weekend while simultaneously releasing a campaign video on YouTube, Mr. O’ Malley said, “I declare that I am a candidate for President of the U.S. and I am running for you.”
He added that the urgent calling for Americans today was to “rebuild the American dream in our time… [for] a nation of immigrants”.
Mr. O’ Mally also hit out at the candidacies of Ms. Clinton, a former first lady and U.S. Secretary of State, as well as former Florida Governor and brother of former President George W. Bush, Jeb Bush.
Addressing Wall Street chief executives who he blamed for their role in the 2008 financial crisis, he said, “The presidency is not a crown to be passed back and forth by you between two royal families.”
