John,

Like all good LGBTQ love stories, Mary Washington and I first met at Pride in 2006. As two political people, we moved in and out of each other’s lives for years. But it was a pot of lentil soup, a deep conversation and a handshake to seal our future first date (the handshake won me over). And today, as Mary runs to make history as the first LGBTQ mayor of Baltimore, we celebrate our 12^th anniversary of that first date. But before I continue with all the reasons Mary deserves to win, I must ask: will you make a donation to support Mary’s campaign today?

I’m sure any political partner will tell you their other half is THE person who should win. But I honestly can’t think of anyone better to lead Baltimore. Here’s a great example of who Mary is: as an avid gardener, she knows that placing huge mounds of mulch around a tree’s base smothers the tree. When we first starting dating and she was working for an environmental nonprofit, she would constantly point this out to me. Sometimes, we’d be driving somewhere, and if Mary saw a tree on public land with mounded mulch, she would have to stop the car and fix the mulch, allowing the tree to breathe. We might have been late, but those trees lived.

She’s just one of those people. When she sees a problem, she must solve it. She brings that same energy and passion to the State Senate and she won’t slow down as mayor of Baltimore. But to get Mary elected, we’ll need a lot more money. Will you chip in and help elect Mary today?

Mary isn’t your typical candidate. She isn’t spending time with Baltimore’s elite, rubbing elbows and kissing up. She’s spending her time in our community, working with advocacy groups and key stakeholders to design legislation that benefits everyone. And that work pays off. Mary won hard races before because her constituents know she is unequivocally on their team. She beat an entrenched incumbent – after hearing from countless doubters that said she’d never win - because her message and her life resonated with the people in our district. People just trust Mary. And she’s never let them down.

We hear from future voters all the time how excited they are that Mary’s in the race. That they finally have hope that change is one election away, that by finally electing someone with strong ties to those most in need, we will finally see the progress we desperately need as a city.

Mary will be the best mayor of Baltimore we’ve seen in decades. She can turn our city in a new direction. I know in my core she is the best for our city. Help elect Mary as the first openly LGBTQ mayor in Baltimore history. Donate today.

Thanks so much for your support,

Jodi Kelber-Kaye