Martin O'Malley

Martin O’Malley is serves the people of Maryland as the 61st Governor. Since 2007, his Administration has been delivering results for Maryland families by choosing to do the things that work to create jobs, expand opportunity and make Maryland a safer, healthier place.

With a balanced approach of spending cuts, regulatory reform and modern investment in education, innovation and infrastructure, Governor O’Malley and his Administration are making better choices that are delivering better results, including:

• The No. 1 ranking for best public schools in America for an unprecedented five years in a row. (Education Week)
• The No. 1 ranking for holding down the cost of college tuition. (College Board)
• The No. 1 ranking for innovation and entrepreneurship for two years running. (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)

Governor O’Malley has taken a balanced approach to investing in priorities in a fiscally responsible way. Called “arguably the best manager in government” by Washington Monthly magazine, Governor O’Malley has cut more state spending than any governor in modern Maryland’s history - $9.4 billion in cuts over eight years. He balanced these record cuts with targeted, modern investments in priorities like public education and infrastructure while leaving the income tax bills lower for 86 percent of Marylanders. He reduced the size of Maryland’s executive branch to its smallest size since 1973 (on a per capita basis) and reformed the way state government is managed, to make it work more efficiently and accountably. His actions to save Maryland’s state pension system have made it sustainable over the long term. His fiscal stewardship has made strong progress in eliminating the $1.7 billion structural deficit he inherited in 2007. His efforts to streamline, consolidate and digitize things like business licensing are making Maryland a better place to do business. Maryland is one of only seven states to maintain an AAA Bond Rating even during the national recession as certified by all three major rating agencies.

To protect the dignity of every child’s home—and ensure equal rights under the law for all Marylanders—Governor O’Malley signed Marriage Equality into law. He also signed the Maryland DREAM Act, which expands the opportunity of a college education to more Marylanders. In 2013, he signed a commonsense law to reduce gun violence. And during the 2014 legislative session, he signed legislation protecting the rights of transgender Marylanders.

Governor O’Malley served two terms as Chair of the Democratic Governors Association. He was appointed to the nation’s first-ever Council of Governors by President Obama in 2010 and was named co-chair of the Council in 2013. As a member of the National Governors Association, he spearheaded the creation of a Committee on Homeland Security and Public Safety and served on it in a leadership capacity from 2009 until 2013.

Prior to serving as Governor, O’Malley served as Mayor of the City of Baltimore. Between 1999 and 2007 his policies helped the people of Baltimore achieve the greatest crime reduction of America’s largest cities.

Governor O’Malley received his bachelor’s degree from Catholic University and his law degree from the University of Maryland.

Martin and his wife, Katie, a District Court judge, have two daughters, Grace and Tara, and two sons, William and Jack. They are members of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.