Daughters Of Rep. Elijah Cummings Back Former Aide Harry Spikes In Special Election
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The daughters of the late Congressman Elijah Cummings are backing his former congressional aide to serve the remainder of his term.
Cummings died suddenly in October, and 32 candidates have filed to replace him, including his widow Maya Rockeymoore Cummings and longtime friend and former Congressman Kweisi Mfume.
In her tribute at their father's funeral, Adia Cummings asked his staff to stand and be recognized.
"I just want to personally thank all of you," she said. "The way that you loved my father makes us family forever."
It is from that family Adia and Jennifer Cummings have chosen to endorse longtime congressional aide Harry Spikes.
Spikes, who ran an unsuccessful race for the Maryland House of Delegates in 2014, will face Cummings' Widow Maya Rockeymore Cummings in the February primary.
Also in contention, former 7th District Congressman and longtime friend of Cummings, Kweisi Mfume.
"At the top of this is Kweisi Mfume who held the seat in the past," said political expert Todd Eberly, a professor at St. Mary's College. "And Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, Elijah Cummings widow. In the second tier, you have Harry Spikes who worked for Elijah Cummings for quite some time."
In a statement endorsing Spikes, Jennifer Cummings wrote:
"Harry knows this community. Our father often said of himself that he was an ordinary man called to an extraordinary mission and Harry embodies that same spirit."
Spikes worked for Cummings for 15 years.
Others of note in the race include Baltimore Delegate Tallmadge Branch, Howard County Delegate Terri Hill, Baltimore County Delegate Jay Jalisi, and Baltimore State Senator Jill Carter.
There are 24 Democrats and 8 Republicans in the race. The 7th district includes parts of Baltimore City and Baltimore and Howard Counties. Those are the voters who will decide.
