Current Maryland Comptroller and 2022 gubernatorial candidate, Peter Franchot, has called for a state of emergency to address the surging Omicron variant. The decision would have to be made by Governor Larry Hogan.

Franchot, a Montgomery County resident, is the 33rd Comptroller of Maryland. A member of the Democratic Party, Franchot served for 20 years in the Maryland House of Delegates representing Takoma Park and Silver Spring. He was elected comptroller in 2006, and has subsequently been re-elected three times. Franchot confirmed in January 2020 that he will run for governor of Maryland in 2022.

Earlier this evening, via Twitter, Franchot stated the following:

Today I’m calling for a state of emergency in order to address the surging Omicron variant. During the past 24 hours, hospitalizations in Maryland have reached 2,046, a record number for the pandemic.

In declaring a state of emergency and leveraging the state’s full resources, it is imperative we aim to 1) increase the number of testing sites operating in Maryland; 2) Expand access to rapid tests, including at home tests; and 3) Require masking in public spaces.

Maryland has a $6 billion surplus that we can and should use to enable families to stay at home while minimizing suffering. We should immediately issue $2K survival checks to our lowest-income families and expand funding for and subsidize access to child care providers.

We should also provide direct aid payment to small businesses, especially MWBEs. Everyone must do their part to ensure our hospitals have the resources to support those who are severely ill.

I applaud the many organizations, such as @prattlibrary, for distributing at-home tests during the holidays. We must continue to make both on-site and at-home testing accessible, particularly for communities that are most vulnerable.

I urge all Marylanders to get fully vaccinated, including a booster, and to wear a mask in public spaces.