Gubernatorial candidates were already making calls to Baltimore City Councilman Brandon Scott (D-2), when he connected with Jim Shea, Democratic candidate for Governor, an attorney with the Venable law firm in Baltimore and former chair of the Board of Regents for the University System of Maryland.

Baltimore City Council member Brandon Scott jumped into the race for Lt. Gov Feb. 15. (Courtesy photo)

The difference with Shea, according to Scott, is he not only wanted Scott’s advice on connecting with young people, he took the next step and invited Scott to serve on his ticket as Lieutenant Governor.

“Jim was willing to listen, willing to learn and be that person who will be inclusive and bring everyone together, “Scott said.

Scott, (33) and Shea (65) are ready to “be the change” said Scott, uniting Marylanders across generations, and re-invigorating the Governor’ race. “Our age difference won’t be our weakness, it will be our strength.”

Shea and Scott join an already crowded field of seven other democrats, five of whom have chosen women as running mates.  On Feb. 20 Prince George’s County Executive, and gubernatorial candidate, Rushern Baker announced that former Baltimore mayoral candidate Elizabeth Embry would be his running mate.

“Jim understands that we made Larry Hogan,” said Scott reflecting on how he says the Democratic Party lost its way, in the state of Maryland and nationally.  “We allowed our message to get stale; we did not focus on our core values and we were not inclusive of all people in our state,” Scott said.

Scott said people across the state can relate to his upbringing in Park Heights, in Northwest Baltimore. “People of humble means will know they are part of this campaign,” Scott said.

“The story that I have growing up as a poor young man in Baltimore City is no different than the poor young people who grew up in Suitland in Prince George’s County or in St. Mary’s County in Lexington Park.”

“That story, my story, resonates throughout. No Marylander will ever be forgotten again under our leadership. We’re focused on the very things that everybody in Maryland cares about,” Scott said.

Scott, currently the chair of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee, has never been shy about taking on city leadership and has vocally criticized Mayor Catherine E. Pugh’s violence reduction strategies. Now Scott says he is ready to campaign with a new vision for education, public safety and transportation for Maryland as part of the Shea/Scott gubernatorial ticket.

“Wherever you are in the state folks understand that our education system used to be number one and we’re no longer that.” Scott said.  “When you talk about transportation I think it’s clear that the current governor does not have a transportation plan that is going to take us forward,” he added.

“We recognize that we have a violence problem not only in our city but around our state and an opioid problem that we have to deal with. Violence is a public health problem and we have to attack it as such.”

Scott is hopeful his addition to Shea’s ticket will compel young people to take a serious look at the Shea/Scott candidacy. “When I first got elected to City Council, I was the only 20 something year old,” Scott said.  “We have to bring in young people at all costs…going out, getting them involved,”