You can add one more name to the long list of people running for mayor of Baltimore in 2016.
Thirty-year-old DeRay Mckesson quit his Minnesota teaching job last year to become a full-time leader in the Black Lives Matter movement. Last night, he surprised many when he signed up to run for mayor of Baltimore just before the filing deadline.
Mckesson has got a huge Twitter following and strong activist bona fides. Nonetheless, the New York Times says his campaign will face “an uphill climb,” most significantly because he’ll be facing better-known challengers with stronger political ties and more money. But Mckesson has the potential to really energize the youth vote. Will that make a difference when the primary rolls around in April? Who knows. At least the race just got even more interesting.
