MD Gov. O'Malley SCDP Speech Will Fuel 2016 Buzz

If it seems it a little early to be talking about the 2016 presidential race, you're probably right. But for political junkies, it's never too early.

Expect speculation of 2016 to begin in the coming days as the South Carolina Democratic Party announced on Friday that MD Gov. Martin O'Malley will be the keynote speaker at the 2013 Issues Conference on March 23. The conference will take place at West Ashley High School in Charleston.

O'Malley has been Governor of Maryland since 2007. Prior to that he was the Mayor of Baltimore for eight years. O'Malley was a featured speaker at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. Should Vice President Joe Biden or former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton not run in 2016, O'Malley would almost certainly be one of the frontrunners.

Also scheduled to speak at the event are:

• Richard D'Alberto - Chairman of the SC Hospital Association 
• Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter
• Senator Vincent Sheheen
• Peter Cari, Prism Communications
• Cherie Mabrey, Executive Committewoman
• Lee Walter Jenkins, County Chair
• Jaime Harrison, 1st Vice Chair
• Melissa Watson, 2nd Vice Chair
• Carol Fowler, Former SCDP Chair
• Richard Hayes, County Chair
• Bobbie Rose, Former Candidate for Congress
• Susan Smith, President of the SC Women's Council
• Dr. Gloria Tinubu, Former Candidate for Congress
• Laurin Manning
• Mike Glymph, President of Young Democrats
• Tyler Jones, Deputy Director of the Democratic House Caucus
• Boyd Brown, Former State Representative 
• Ann Marie Habershaw, COO of the DNC
• Blaine Lotz, County Chair
• Eric Graben, County Chair

Issues on the agenda:

• Healthcare and Medicaid Expansion
• Education in South Carolina
• Media Training
• Unions/Working in SC
• Voter ID - Educating the base on the new laws
• Rural Counties
• Environment/Energy
• 46 County Strategy
• Women in Politics
• Messaging and utilizing new media
• Young people in politics
• Fundraising and budgeting

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