March 29, 2024
Annapolis, US 47 F

Franchot, sets team, lays out plan for for Maryland as campaign for Governor kicks off

Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, the state’s first declared Democratic candidate for governor, has announced his partnership with the well-respected Maryland political consulting firm, Tidemore. The firm’s leading principals, Ben Smith and Ben Groff, will oversee campaign operations.

“Tidemore’s unparalleled expertise in managing Maryland political campaigns and proven fundraising results bring a new level of direction to my campaign,” said Franchot. “Ben Smith and Ben Groff are among our state’s most talented, highly respected, and seasoned political and policy professionals, and the wealth of skills and experience they bring will be integral to ensuring our victory in 2022.”

Tidemore is the public affairs firm behind some of Maryland’s most successful campaigns and advocacy efforts, measured both by success despite long odds, and broad positive impact for the public. Over the past two campaign cycles, Tidemore has helped 13 candidates take office for the first time or elevate to higher office, in addition to winning ballot initiatives, guiding progressive legislation to passage at a state and local level, and advising Democratic incumbents on policy and public affairs. The firm prides itself on taking projects that will withstand the scrutiny of history.

“Tidemore is proud to join Team Franchot, and excited to retake the State House for Maryland’s Democrats. As Maryland’s foremost budget expert, Peter Franchot not only knows the state’s finances inside and out, he knows that Marylanders deserve more from their government than they’re currently getting. As our next Governor, Peter Franchot will be ready on Day One with bigger ideas and bolder action than Maryland has seen in more than a generation,” said Ben Smith.

Smith is a co-founder of Tidemore, and former executive director of the Maryland Democratic Party. A proud Baltimore resident and graduate of the Maryland School of Law, Smith’s work at Tidemore includes testimony for the Fight for $15 that received coverage from The Atlantic’s CityLab, co-authoring Ben Jealous’ 2018 gubernatorial platform, and a 10-3 record on primary campaigns he’s advised, with two of the losses subsequently gaining office by appointment.

Groff is a co-founder of Tidemore where he specializes in campaigns, policy development, and government relations. During the 2020 cycle, he managed Baltimore City Comptroller Bill Henry’s successful primary campaign and assisted with the ballot question efforts to establish Baltimore’s Inspector General’s Office and public campaign financing in Baltimore County. He is a graduate of the University of Maryland Carey School of Law.

Franchot also debuted a new campaign video, “Ready On Day One,” as part of his quest to become the state’s 63rd governor. The Maryland Gubernatorial Primary Election takes place just 18 months from now on June 28, 2022.

Devine Mulvey Longabaugh (DML), a nationally-acclaimed political media firm based in

Washington, D.C., filmed and produced the video. “Our award-winning team looks forward to finding creative ways to visually tell the Franchot story and share his positive, inspirational ideas that he has for Marylanders to help restore faith in their government and elected leaders,” said Julian Mulvey.

Mulvey is a Democratic media consultant and partner at Devine Mulvey Longabaugh. The BBC’s Kim Ghattas called him Sen. Bernie Sanders’ “ad genius” during the Vermont Senator’s 2016 presidential campaign. Secretary Hillary Clinton called their ads “poetry” while President Trump has called them “fake” and “fraudulent.” The partners of the firm have worked on many winning U.S. Senate, Congressional and Gubernatorial campaigns, including Gov. Parris Glendening, and the late Sen. Paul Sarbanes.

“Peter Franchot will be laying out a vision of big reforms,” said Tad Devine, a partner at DML. “While revitalizing the basics of day-to-day government. He did it for the Comptroller’s Office, now he’ll do it for the state.”

Since announcing his intention to run for governor earlier this year, Comptroller Franchot’s gubernatorial campaign has been building diverse coalitions of volunteers, activists, and community leaders across our state.

First elected as comptroller in 2006, Franchot has decisively been re-elected three times without a single primary challenge. In 2018, he won 21 of Maryland’s 24 jurisdictions and received the highest number of votes of any candidate for a state government office. He previously served in the Maryland House of Delegates representing the 20th Legislative District.

A veteran of the United States Army, Franchot and his wife, Anne, live in Takoma Park. They have two adult children and three grandchildren.

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