Backed by Bernie Sanders, Ben Jealous calls for free college tuition in Maryland

Gubernatorial candidate Ben Jealous, joined at a rally by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, called on Maryland Monday to provide free community college for state students as part of a broader plan to make higher education more accessible.

Jealous, one of seven contenders for the Democratic nomination in the June 26 primary, released a fleshed-out version of a plan that would eventually make public colleges and universities free for Marylanders. He also spelled out in more detail how he would pay for the program, including higher taxes on the rich and an increase in the state’s cigarette tax.

“In Maryland we don’t have to crawl forward. We can leap forward,” Jealous told several hundred people at a Prince George’s County community center.

Sanders stumped for Jealous, the former CEO of the NAACP, at a rally last year in Baltimore calling for a state-based universal health care program.

Jealous was a surrogate for Sanders during the 2016 presidential campaign primary, and Sanders has endorsed the former NAACP president for governor. Jealous has embraced several of the progressive policies pushed by Sanders, including free community college, universal health care coverage and a $15 minimum wage.

Sanders returned to Maryland Monday night for a rally in Capitol Heights where he praised Jealous’ plans for higher education.

“It is a little bit crazy to be spending more money locking kids up than sending them to the University of Maryland,” Sanders said.