Peter Van Rensselaer Franchot (born November 25, 1947) is an American politician who was the 33rd Comptroller of Maryland. A member of the Democratic Party, Franchot served for 20 years in the Maryland House of Delegates representing Takoma Park and Silver Spring. He was elected comptroller in 2006, and was subsequently re-elected three times. Franchot unsuccessfully ran for governor of Maryland in 2022, placing third in the Democratic primary behind Tom Perez and Wes Moore. Early life and education Franchot was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and attended Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. He attended Amherst College, but later left to join the presidential campaign of Senator Eugene McCarthy. After serving in the United States Army from 1968 to 1970, Franchot again attended Amherst, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1973. He graduated from Northeastern University School of Law with a Juris Doctor in 1978. Career After graduating from law school, Franchot worked as legislative counsel for the Union of Concerned Scientists. He then served as staff director for then-Congressman Ed Markey from 1980 to 1986. After his election to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1986, Franchot was a self-employed business development consultant. Maryland House of Delegates From 1987 to 2007, Franchot served in the Maryland House of Delegates, representing the 20th legislative district, which includes Takoma Park and Silver Spring. Franchot was a member of the Appropriations Committee and chaired the Public Safety and Administration Subcommittee, as well as the Transportation and the Environment Subcommittee. In 1988, while serving his first term in the House of Delegates, Franchot ran for Maryland's 8th congressional district against Republican incumbent Connie Morella. Morella defeated Franchot, 63% to 37%, in the general election. During the years leading up to his 2006 bid for comptroller, Franchot opposed Republican Governor Bob Ehrlich's efforts to expand slot machine gambling in Maryland. He considered a run for governor to challenge Ehrlich, but ultimately ran for Comptroller of Maryland. Comptroller of Maryland Franchot ran in the Democratic primary for Comptroller of Maryland against incumbent William Donald Schaefer and Anne Arundel County Executive Janet S. Owens. Franchot defeated Schaefer in the Democratic primary election, marking Schaefer's first loss in his 51-year career. Franchot defeated the Republican nominee, Anne McCarthy, in the general election on November 7, 2006. Franchot was sworn into office on January 22, 2007. Franchot considered running for the 2014 Democratic nomination for