City Councilman Formally Launches Campaign For Mayor

BALTIMORE (AP) -- City Councilman Carl Stokes formally started his campaign to be mayor of Baltimore.

The 65-year-old Stokes began his bid Thursday at the Harbor Point development.

Stokes, a Democrat, joins more than a dozen other candidates who announced their run for mayor after Democratic incumbent Stephanie Rawlings-Blake abandoned her run for re-election after riots hit the city in April following the death of Freddie Gray after being injured while in police custody.

This will be Stokes' second run for the office. In 1999, he came in second behind Martin O'Malley.

Other Democratic candidates include former mayor Shelia Dixon, who resigned in a plea deal stemming from charges that she stole gift cards meant for poor children; State Sen. Catherine Pugh, and Councilman Nick Mosby, husband of Baltimore State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby.

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