Friend, John and I go way back. Not only did he succeed me as President Obama’s Secretary of Education, but we partnered together for years to implement institutional changes for good, like the Second Chance Pell Grant program and the Every Student Succeeds Act.

Now, he’s running for governor to serve Maryland with the same integrity and commitment he brought every single day to the Department of Education – and I’m reaching out today to humbly ask if you’ll pitch in a contribution to fuel him there.

Anyone who has had the privilege of working with John knows that he has an incredible capacity for empathy and a wide breadth of lived experiences powering his work to close opportunity gaps.

When he first told me he was running for Maryland governor, there was never a doubt in my mind that he’s the person for the job. Education is a top-priority issue for so many families, and John’s message of equal opportunity and ensuring educators have a seat at the table is resonating strongly.

Don’t take it just from me though, look at his recent surge in the polls! John is polling just 1-point behind frontrunner Peter Franchot, reflecting a massive surge in momentum. 

Now John’s team is riding that momentum, but they need your help. From mobilizing volunteers, to running ads on television and online, and reaching undecided voters in every corner of the state, John’s campaign simply cannot pull this off without you.

If you are able, please contribute whatever you can today to help support John’s campaign before their big fundraising deadline on June 7th.

If everyone reading this pitches in $10, $5, or even $3 to make John’s vision a reality, our students, educators, economy, and environment will all reap the benefits. 

Let’s elect a teacher as Maryland’s next governor.

Thank you,

Arne Duncan
9th United States Secretary of Education