John Berry on Monday endorsed Maryland State Senator Rich Madaleno for governor of Maryland.

Berry is a former U.S. ambassador to Australia and ran the U.S. Office of Personal Management from 2009-2013. During his tenure at Personal Management, Berry became the highest-ranking openly gay official in the Obama administration.

In a statement released by the Madaleno campaign, Berry lauded the candidate's support for federal employees and retirees. He also noted Madaleno's support of “fairness and equality for all of [Maryland's] citizens.”

“Rich Madaleno has proven through his years of public service to be not just an advocate, but an effective champion for these vitally important causes,” said Berry. “A go along to get along style of governing is not acceptable in today’s highly polarized society – we need true leadership for our great state, leadership that will bring people together and get the tough issues done. That leadership will come from Rich Madaleno and that’s why I am proud to endorse his candidacy to become Maryland’s next governor, and next leader.”

First elected to the Senate in 2006 after serving a term in the House of Delegates, Madaleno, 52, became the Senate's first openly gay member. He was a strong supporter of the same-sex marriage bill then-Governor Martin O'Malley signed in 2012 and introduced a transgender rights bill that became law in 2014. Madaleno and his husband Mark are raising two children.

Other Democrats vying to challenge Governor Larry Hogan next year include Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker, former NCAAP President Ben Jealous and former State Department official Alec Ross. Hogan, the state's second Republican governor in nearly 50 years, has a strong approval rating, even among Democrats.

John Berry on Monday endorsed Maryland State Senator Rich Madaleno for governor of Maryland.

Berry is a former U.S. ambassador to Australia and ran the U.S. Office of Personal Management from 2009-2013. During his tenure at Personal Management, Berry became the highest-ranking openly gay official in the Obama administration.

In a statement released by the Madaleno campaign, Berry lauded the candidate's support for federal employees and retirees. He also noted Madaleno's support of “fairness and equality for all of [Maryland's] citizens.”

“Rich Madaleno has proven through his years of public service to be not just an advocate, but an effective champion for these vitally important causes,” said Berry. “A go along to get along style of governing is not acceptable in today’s highly polarized society – we need true leadership for our great state, leadership that will bring people together and get the tough issues done. That leadership will come from Rich Madaleno and that’s why I am proud to endorse his candidacy to become Maryland’s next governor, and next leader.”

First elected to the Senate in 2006 after serving a term in the House of Delegates, Madaleno, 52, became the Senate's first openly gay member. He was a strong supporter of the same-sex marriage bill then-Governor Martin O'Malley signed in 2012 and introduced a transgender rights bill that became law in 2014. Madaleno and his husband Mark are raising two children.

Other Democrats vying to challenge Governor Larry Hogan next year include Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker, former NCAAP President Ben Jealous and former State Department official Alec Ross. Hogan, the state's second Republican governor in nearly 50 years, has a strong approval rating, even among Democrats.