Valerie Ervin Says She's Running For Congress

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) -- Former Montgomery County Council president Valerie Ervin says she's running for Congress.

Ervin, a Democrat from Silver Spring, announced Wednesday that she is running for Maryland's 8th District congressional seat. Rep. Chris Van Hollen is vacating the seat to run for the U.S. Senate seat of retiring Sen. Barbara Mikulski.

Five other candidates are seeking the Democratic nomination to fill Van Hollen's seat.

The 58-year-old graduate of the University of Baltimore served on the county council from 2006 to 2014, when she resigned to lead the Center for Working Families, a progressive group that helps low-income families. She was the first African-American woman elected to the council.
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