In the midst of an election year where there is some fear and trepidation for the Democratic Party, the state of Maryland is a complete alternative.
Maryland is on the way to electing the third African American governor in American history, Wes Moore, who is far ahead of his Republican opponent, Dan Cox.
Moore defeated former Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez for the nomination, a surprise to many observers.
Only Douglas Wilder in Virginia in 1989 and Deval Patrick in Massachusetts in 2006 have succeeded as African American gubernatorial candidates before Wes Moore.
Wes Moore has had an interesting career, with military service for eight years in the US Army, including service in Afghanistan and the 82nd Airborne Division, and graduated from Johns Hopkins University, and was a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford.
Moore worked in several government positions; became an investment banker; founded a television production company; and then was CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation, a charitable organization to help alleviate problems caused by poverty in New York City. He is the author of several books, and is seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party.
Some observers think he is someone to watch for national office at some point in the future.