Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced Monday that he has been diagnosed with cancer of the lymph nodes, calling it "very advanced and very aggressive."
Hogan vowed to continue to work, but he also said Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford will take on a greater work load.
"He's going to fill in more at the Board of Public Works," Hogan said. "He's going to have to fill in for me on some other meetings, as will our entire Cabinet. They're going to step up and do more things and fill in when I can't be there."
Hogan said Rutherford already has taken on a big role as lieutenant governor.
"Boyd has my back," Hogan said Monday. "There's no question about that."
Here are nine things you need to know about Lt. Gov. Rutherford:
- Rutherford and Governor Larry Hogan were friends before teaming up in Maryland. They both previously served as cabinet members under the Robert Ehrlich administration, according to Rutherford's website.
- The D.C. native graduated from Howard University with a degree in economics and political science.
- Rutherford also obtained a law degree and a master's degree in communications management from the University of Southern California. He practiced law as an attorney at Benton Potter and Murdock before getting involved with politics.
- This is Rutherford's first time serving as an elected official. He was appointed to federal office twice by George W. Bush -- once as associate administrator for the U.S. General Services and again as assistant secretary for administration at the USDA, according to his website.
- If Gov. Hogan is unable to complete his term, Rutherford would take over under in accordance with the state's constitution, the Washington Post reports. Rutherford would become the first-ever black governor in Maryland and the fifth black governor in U.S. history, according to Reuters.
- Rutherford is a member of the Republican National Lawyers Association and the Howard County chapter of the NAACP, according to the Maryland state archives.
- Rutherford has led the effort to combat Maryland's growing heroin problem by assisting Gov. Hogan in creating a task force and orchestrating regional summits throughout the state.
- He also actively participated in the planting of a community garden in West Baltimore, one of the new renovations at the BIGGYS Community Center.
- Rutherford lives in Columbia, Maryland, with his wife, Monica, and their three children.
