Former DNC Chair Perez mulls bid for Maryland governor

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Less than a week after finishing his term as chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), Tom Perez may have a new job in his sights.

The Maryland resident said in a podcast interview released on Tuesday that he’s mulling a run for governor in his home state.

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Perez made the news in a new interview with the liberal podcaster Bill Press on "The Bill Press Pod."

DNC Chair Tom Perez speaks to a Democratic Party gathering in New Hampshire ahead of the 2020 New Hampshire presidential primary

"I live here in Maryland," Perez told liberal podcaster Bill Press on "The Bill Press Pod." "I love the great state of Maryland. Looking at things here perhaps. We have an open governor’s seat next year. Our current incumbent is term-limited. So [I’m] taking a look at that; we’ll see what happens."

Maryland’s current governor, popular Republican Gov. Larry Hogan, is term limited and prevented from running for re-election in 2022.

Perez, a native of New York State, served as Montgomery County, Maryland council president and secretary of the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation before serving as an assistant attorney general and Labor secretary in President Barack Obama’s administration. He was elected as DNC chair in 2017.

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If Perez decided to launch a campaign, he would join what might turn into a very crowded Democratic primary field in the very blue state. Peter Franchot, a former state lawmaker who’s served 15 years as  comptroller of Maryland, confirmed earlier this month that he’ll run for governor.

More than 15 other Democrats are considered potential candidates. That list includes former Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown, former congressman and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate John Delaney, former Maryland attorney general and former gubernatorial candidate Doug Gansler, former NAACP president and CEO and 2018 Democratic gubernatorial nominee Ben Jealous, former NAACP president and current Rep. Kweisi Mfume, Reps. John Sarbanes and David Trone, and 2014 gubernatorial candidate Heather Mizeur.

Republican Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford has publicly expressed interest in running in 2022. And at least 10 other Republicans are considered possible contenders, including former Republican National Committee chair, 2006 Senate nominee and former Lt. Gov. Michael Steele.