Martin O'Malley moves closer to presidential bid
Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley is set to announce on May 30 whether he'll launch a presidential bid. Based on a series of conference calls Thursday night, the Democrat appears ready to enter the race, the Washington Post reports.
While he didn't explicitly confirm his candidacy, O'Malley and his aides told supporters on the call about his fundraising plans, as well as the website build in anticipation of his "special announcement," the Post reports. The former governor is also reportedly signing a lease for office space in Baltimore, where he'll be making his May 30 announcement.
- O'Malley sets presidential announcement date
- Did Martin O'Malley's criminal justice policies help or hurt Baltimore?
O'Malley is announcing his decision in Baltimore because he served as mayor of the city for seven years. He's attempted to demonstrate his close ties and continued commitment to the city in recent weeks, following the unrest over police brutality.
O'Malley has also in recent weeks traveled around the country using funds from a political action committee, though once he declares his intention to run, he can't legally dip into those funds.