Md. Delegate Could Become State's 1st Female & Nation's 1st Openly Gay Governor

SILVER SPRING, Md. (WJZ) — A Montgomery County Democrat promises to stir things up in the party's business-as-usual political machine.

Pat Warren has more on the latest entry into the Democratic primary race for governor.

Delegate Heather Mizeur is giving Maryland voters a chance to make history next year.

Heather Mizeur is making a run for it. She officially announced her candidacy for governor Wednesday.

"I would be Maryland's first woman governor and the nation's first openly gay governor," she said.

Most Baltimore area voters aren't likely to recognize her face, or the name. It's pronounced "Ma-ZEER." She tells everyone it rhymes with brassier.

And Mizeur, a Montgomery County delegate, is the first openly gay candidate to run in the gubernatorial primary.

"In every community across this state you find that it's a wide open race, that the enthusiasm is for something new and different, not just more of the same. And it doesn't get any more different than me," she said.

Mizeur and her spouse, Deborah, were vocal in the same-sex marriage debate. Her focus now is on economy, environment and education.

"Those barrier-breaking opportunities are helpful from a momentum building standpoint. My supporters are incredibly enthusiastic that we have an opportunity to make history in those ways," said Mizeur. "But they're more enthusiastic about my ideas, about how we're going to make Maryland live up to her full potential."

Can she compete with Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown, already in the race, and Doug Gansler, who is expected to enter the race in September?

She answers with confidence.

"Yep. We're going to have the money we need to compete," Mizeur said.

And nearly a year to make herself known to voters.

The primary is June 24, 2014.

While women have won party nominations in Maryland, both Democrat Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and Republican Ellen Saurbrey lost in the general elections.