Elijah Cummings’ widow rumored to run for his Congressional seat
While the chairwoman of the Maryland Democratic Party grieves, will she push to continue her husband's political legacy?
Maya Rockeymoore, widow of Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., is reportedly preparing to run for her husband's congressional seat.
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Maya Rockeymoore, the widow of Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., is reportedly preparing to step into big shoes left behind by her late husband by running for his House seat.
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Rockeymoore, 48, the chairwoman of the Maryland Democratic Party, is grieving the tremendous loss of Cummings. Cummings was not only her husband but a change-maker who chaired the House Oversight Committee and was a powerful Baltimore Democratic Congressman in Maryland’s 7th Congressional District. He was also beloved by his city.
According to reports, she has ambitions to continue his work by assuming his House seat.
Cummings died last week, and as his family grieves, no announcements on Rockeymoore’s plans will be made, according to Maryland Matters. Still, there is wide speculation that she will run.
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Cummings will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol this week and a funeral is planned in Baltimore on Friday.
“We ask the public and the press to allow Maryland Democratic Party Chair Dr. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings — and the rest of the Cummings family — time and space to grieve their loss,” the Maryland Democratic party said.
Rockeymoore has been a political force, working previously for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and previously she served as chief of staff to former U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y.
Back in 2018, Rockeymoore ran for governor in Maryland but her plans were sidelined and she dropped out of the race when Cummings got sick.
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A special election for Cummings seat is expected to be planned in the next 10 days by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, according to the Baltimore Sun.
Cummings chaired the House Oversight Committee and was an ardent supporter of the impeachment of President Donald Trump. In fact, he was one of the political leaders guiding the impeachment inquiry from the House Democrats.
Cummings, who was 68, died last Thursday at Johns Hopkins Hospital from complications from longstanding health challenges, according to a statement provided by his office.
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