TOWSON, Md. - Marylandian -- Mansoor Shams of Towson, Maryland has announced his candidacy for Baltimore County Executive. Mansoor is an established community advocate who is running to help and support the most vulnerable residents of Baltimore County, who are struggling to afford the cost of food, housing, healthcare, and utilities.



Shams describes himself as "running for one reason, and one reason only: to make the lives of my fellow Baltimore County residents better, who I know are struggling." Local news coverage has detailed the sharp rise in housing, healthcare, and utilities costs facing the residents of Baltimore County.

Mansoor has filed as a Fair Election Candidate, taking only small, individual donations to his campaign fund. "This campaign won't run on insiders' millions and back door deals like some of the other campaigns have chosen to do," Shams explains in his campaign launch video. "This will be a campaign about people and their dignity first."

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Mansoor Shams currently serves as Community Engagement and Outreach Officer for Baltimore County Recreation & Parks, working with residents to ensure county programs are accessible, responsive, and rooted in community needs. He is an Adjunct Professor for the University of Baltimore and a former Term Member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

As a U.S. Marine Veteran, Mansoor has spent years engaging Americans in honest conversations through his platform MuslimMarine.org including walking across 25 states with a sign that read, "I'm a Muslim and a U.S. Marine. Ask me anything." Mansoor would be the first South Asian and the first immigrant to serve as Executive for Baltimore County.

Among the testimonials featured at the campaign website GoMansoor.com, Fr. Joe Muth, Chaplain of Notre Dame at Maryland University writes about Shams: "He is honest, values interfaith and intercultural cooperation, and works to build understanding around both our differences and our shared goals."

Bonnie L. Robeson, Lecturer for Johns Hopkins University writes, "Baltimore County would be fortunate to have a leader of Mansoor's caliber, character, and commitment. I give him my strongest endorsement."