Martin O’Malley, the former Maryland governor, has stepped down as Social Security Administration commissioner to become the first to announce his candidacy for chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
O’Malley served as Maryland’s governor for eight years, from January 2007 to January 2015. He also led the Democratic Governors Association from 2010 to 2011. The Social Security Administration did not have a confirmed head from July 2021 till O’Malley was sworn in to office Dec. 2023. His resignation will be effective Nov. 29.
In a social media post Monday, O’Malley said, “We must connect our party with the most important place in America — the kitchen table of every family’s home. Jobs, opportunity, and economic security for all. Getting things done. Hope. A 50-state strategy. Now.”
O’Malley, who grew up in Montgomery County, attended Our Lady of Lourdes School in Bethesda and Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C.
Current DNC Chair Jaime Harrison is not seeking a second term. The 447 DNC committee members will vote on a new chair in early 2025.
O’Malley described himself as a “proven operational leader and turnaround manager” in a Sunday interview with The New York Times.
