Keiffer Mitchell Jr. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Keiffer J. Mitchell Jr.
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates from the 44th district
In office January 12, 2011 – January 2015
Preceded by	Ruth M. Kirk
Succeeded by	none (due to redistricting)
Member of the Baltimore City Council from the 11th district
In office 1995–2007
Succeeded by	William H. Cole, IV
Personal details
Born	(1967-09-28) September 28, 1967 (age 57) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Nicole Kramer
Children	2
Relatives	Clarence Mitchell Jr. (grandfather) Clarence Mitchell III (uncle) Parren Mitchell (uncle) Clarence Mitchell IV (cousin)
Residences	Baltimore, Maryland

Keiffer Jackson Mitchell Jr. was born on September 28, 1967. He is an American politician from Baltimore, Maryland. He has served in important roles, including in the Maryland House of Delegates and on the Baltimore City Council. He also ran for mayor of Baltimore in 2007.

Who is Keiffer Mitchell Jr.?

Keiffer Mitchell Jr. was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on September 28, 1967. He grew up in a family deeply involved in politics. His grandfather, Clarence M. Mitchell Jr., was a famous civil rights leader. His great-uncle, Parren Mitchell, was a U.S. Congressman.

His uncle, Clarence Mitchell III, was a Maryland State Senator. His father's brother, Michael B. Mitchell Sr., was also a Baltimore city councilman and later a Maryland state senator.

Early Life and Political Start

Keiffer Mitchell Jr. started helping with political campaigns at a very young age. When he was only three years old, he handed out flyers for his uncle's State Senate campaign. At twelve, while attending Boys' Latin School of Maryland, he organized a "Kids-for-Carter" campaign. This was to support Jimmy Carter when he was running for president.

While studying at Emory University, Keiffer volunteered at the Democratic National Convention. He also took part in protests against the Ku Klux Klan in rural Georgia.

What is Keiffer Mitchell Jr.'s Education?

Keiffer Mitchell Jr. finished high school at Boys' Latin in Baltimore in 1986. He then went to Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. There, he earned a degree in political science.

Later, he earned a law degree (called a J.D.) from the District of Columbia School of Law in 1994. He is also a member of the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity.

What was Keiffer Mitchell Jr.'s Career Path?

During his college years, Keiffer Mitchell Jr. gained valuable experience. He worked as an intern at the White House under the Clinton Administration. He also worked as a law clerk for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. Later, he worked with the Maryland Public Defender's Office.

In 1995, Mitchell returned to Boys' Latin School. He taught United States, African-American, and Maryland history there. He was also the head coach for the junior varsity basketball team.

Serving on the Baltimore City Council

In 1995, Keiffer Mitchell Jr. was elected to the Baltimore City Council. He served as the Chairman of the Education and Human Resources Committee. He was also the vice-chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

He was a delegate to the 2000 Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles. He was also appointed Chairman of Baltimore's Human Services Commission. In 2002, he was re-elected to the City Council. He was also named to the Democratic State Central Committee. He became the 2nd vice-chair of the Maryland Democratic Party.

In 2002, Mitchell left Boys' Latin to work in finance. He worked with a brokerage firm and later with the Harbor Bank of Maryland. He was re-elected to the city council in 2004 for his third term. He served on the Judiciary and Legislative Committee. He was also on the Education, Housing, Health and Human Services Committee.

Baltimore City Paper voted him Baltimore's "Best Politician" in both 1999 and 2005.

Community Involvement

Keiffer Mitchell Jr. is involved in many community activities. He is a member of the Echo Hill Outdoor School Board. He also serves on the Family Tree Board and the Habitat for Humanity Board. He is a Trustee for the Boys' Latin School. He attends Sharp Street United Methodist Church. He lives in Baltimore's historic Bolton Hill neighborhood. He serves on the board of his neighborhood association there.

Keiffer Mitchell Jr.'s Mayoral Campaign

Keiffer Mitchell Jr. campaigning

On January 19, 2007, Keiffer Mitchell Jr. announced he was running for mayor of Baltimore. His campaign focused on addressing rising crime rates in the city. Many people saw him as a candidate who could help lower the murder rate. He received support from important groups like the Firefighters Union and the Police Union.

During the campaign, his father, who was helping with his campaign's money, stepped down because of how some campaign funds were used. Keiffer Mitchell Jr. spoke openly about the issue. He then hired a new person to manage the campaign's money. There were also some disagreements about the campaign office space.

On September 11, 2007, Keiffer Mitchell Jr. accepted that he had lost the Democratic primary election for Mayor of Baltimore City to Sheila Dixon.

Primary Election Results (2007)

Here are the results from the 2007 Democratic Primary for Mayor of Baltimore:

What did Keiffer Mitchell Jr. do in the Legislature?

Keiffer Mitchell Jr. served on the House Judiciary Committee from 2011 to 2013. In 2014, he moved to the House Economic Matters Committee.

In 2013, he helped create a new law called HB 860. This law, signed by the Governor on May 16, 2013, approved 1.1 billion dollars. This money was used to build new schools in Baltimore City.

Keiffer Mitchell Jr. as a Democratic Party Activist

In December 2007, the Obama for President campaign chose Keiffer Mitchell Jr. to be a delegate for Obama from Maryland's 7th congressional district. In 2009, there were reports that Mitchell was thinking about running for the Maryland House of Delegates again in 2010.

Democratic Primary Election Results (2010)

Here are the results from the 2010 Race for Maryland House of Delegates – 44th District. Voters chose three candidates: