Entrepreneur and former Republican Anne Arundel county executive Laura Neuman is running for Maryland governor as a Democrat, making her the first woman to join the crowded pool of Democrats vying for the nomination.

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       Neuman, who’s had her own unique path to success, said the campaign will focus on creating “paths of opportunity” for every Marylander through policies such as increased access to affordable health care, child care, public transportation and broadband connectivity.

       “I want every Marylander to feel like we see the potential in them. And then ultimately, as we see the potential in everyone in Maryland, we see the potential in Maryland as a state,” Neuman said in an interview.

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       In a video announcing the news of her bid, Neuman recalled stories of growing up in an abusive household in East Baltimore. She said she decided to run for governor after visiting her childhood home and meeting the boy who now lives there.

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       “I realized not a lot has changed in the time between when I lived in that house and today,” Neuman said in an interview. “I didn’t feel like I had opportunity growing up there and I want him to feel like there’s opportunity available to him.”

       Neuman is the 10th candidate to join the 2022 race for the Democratic nomination. Republican Gov. Larry Hogan is term-limited, opening the slot for a competitive race. The Democratic primary will be June 28.

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       Neuman said she plans to focus her campaign on her experiences, both personal and professional. She dropped out of high school and moved out of her house when she was 18, working jobs to pay for an apartment. Shortly after moving into the apartment, Neuman was raped at gunpoint. Over the years, she became an advocate for sexual assault survivors and pushed to continue the investigation of her case. Nearly 20 years later, the man who raped her was convicted.

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       Neuman received her GED and persuaded Loyola University to allow her to complete a master’s degree in business administration without having graduated from high school or received an undergraduate degree. She became a tech entrepreneur, helping turn around a start-up, and served as the chief executive of economic development for Howard County.

       In 2013, when Anne Arundel county executive John R. Leopold resigned after he was found guilty of misconduct in office, Neuman was selected to serve the remainder of his term. She then lost the race for a full term in 2014.

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       “I have that private-sector experience that I think is so important in creating a strong economy going forward, but I’ve also been on the public-sector side,” Neuman said. “I understand how government works in Maryland. The combination of both of those experiences, I think, is exactly what we need right now.”

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       Neuman had previously served as a Republican but pivoted back to the Democratic Party when she realized the GOP no longer aligned with her values on issues such as same-sex marriage and reproductive rights, she said.

       “As I thought about policy and I thought about how I could best serve my community, the truth is that I realized that the Democratic platform aligns more with what I believe about personal decisions and how to govern your personal lives,” Neuman said.

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       In the race, Neuman joins former U.S. education secretary John B. King Jr.; former Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez; author and former nonprofit executive Wes Moore; Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot; former Montgomery County Council candidate Ashwani Jain; former state attorney general Douglas F. Gansler; former Prince George’s county executive Rushern L. Baker III; former government employee and nonprofit executive Jon Baron; and author, philosopher and Bread and Roses socialist Jerome Segal.

       Running for the Republican nomination are Kelly M. Schulz, commerce secretary in the Hogan administration; perennial candidate Robin Ficker; and Del. Daniel L. Cox, a conservative lawmaker from Frederick County.