Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker has endorsed U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen in his run for U.S. Senate.
Baker announced his endorsement Wednesday at a news conference at the Colmar Manor Community Center in Prince George’s County.
Baker's choice is a little controversial as his own constituent, U.S. Rep. Donna Edwards, is also running for Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski's soon-to-be open seat.
Van Hollen and Baker served in the Maryland House of Delegates at the same time in the 1990s, and Baker says that time together weighed heavily in his decision.
Van Hollen currently represents Maryland's 8th District, which includes portions of Montgomery County and stretches north to portions of Frederick and Carroll counties. Edwards currently represents Maryland's 4th District, which covers parts of Prince George's and Anne Arundel counties.
Both Van Hollen and Edwards announced their plans to run days after Mikulski said she would retire.
If Edwards won the Senate seat, she would become the first black senator from Maryland in U.S. history. But Baker said race didn't play a role in his decision, adding that his decision was rooted in the candidate that could provide leadership and get things done for county residents.