Just a week before the midterms elections Ben Jealous gathered a huge crowd at a Blue Wave Rally in Maryland. The Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club was filled with over 1,000 people on October 30 including many well-known democratic speakers.

Congressman Jamie Raskin was one of the democratic candidates re-elected last Tuesday. During his speech at the Rally, he used several comedic liners to compare Governor Hogans’ time in office to President Donald Trumps’ time as president.

“I want to start out tonight by quoting our last great Republican president, Abraham Lincoln, ‘government of the people by the people and for the people,’ Congressman Raskin went on to say, “not government of the oligarchs by the oligarchs and for the oligarchs.”

Kathleen Mathews Chair of the Maryland Democratic Party hosted the packed venue in late October of this year. The keynote speakers included Bernie Sanders, newly elected County Executive Mark Elrich, Congressman Jamie Raskin, Attorney General Brian Frosh, and former Democratic Gov. of Maryland Martin O’Malley.

Even though Governor Hogan regained his seat in Maryland the majority of the states congressional votes wound up blue. Seven seats were gained in the house over one Republican seat in the state of Maryland.

“I can tell you there are candidates and supporters working hour after hour to make sure that we end one-party control of the United States Government,” Sen. Sanders said.

Sen. Sanders ran for re-election and won as an independent in his home state of Vermont.

“The crowd was massive and filled the whole venue. It was great to see such a large turnout,” said Hannah Sangillo, a sophomore at Montgomery College and rally attendee.

Ben Jealous touched on many of Sen. Sander’s campaign highlights from his 2016 presidential election.  He spoke out on taking on gun reform, pharmaceutical companies, funding for education and affordable healthcare.

“They say we can’t do it. Every other industrialized nation has. I don’t recognize a ‘no we can’t America,’ we are a can-do country and a can-do state and when it comes to Medicare for all, it’s what we will do,” said Jealous.

Five minutes into Ben Jealous speaking the crowd began the chant of former President Barack Obama’s campaign slogan, “Yes we can.”

Supporters at the event were passionate about Ben Jealous’ campaign promises including gun reform, in wake of the mass shooting in Pittsburg.

“People ask me what’s the difference between you and Governor Hogan, he’s taking a check form the NRA and I got an “F” from the NRA,” said Jealous.

In January 2018, WUSA9 reported that Republican Governor Hogan continues to distance himself from the president as he runs for re-election in an overwhelmingly blue state.

“We don’t need someone who is going to distance himself or herself from Trump, we need someone who is going to stand up to Trump,” said County Executive Elrich.

Governor Hogan was re-elected on Tuesday, November 6. According to the Washington Post, Governor Hogan is the first Republican to win a second term in Maryland in the state’s history.

“Tonight, in a deep-blue state in this blue year, with a blue wave, it turns out I can surf,” said Governor Hogan in Annapolis on Tuesday night.