▁School ▁Commission ers . ▁ ▁Sto kes ▁is ▁a ▁former ▁vice ▁president ▁of ▁Mid - At l antic ▁Health ▁Care , ▁a ▁medical ▁equipment ▁and ▁supplies ▁company ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁Chief ▁Oper ating ▁Officer ▁( CO O ) ▁of ▁The ▁Bl uf ord ▁D rew ▁J em ison ▁S TE M ▁Academy , ▁a ▁public ▁char ter ▁middle ▁school ▁for ▁boys ▁founded ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁and ▁opened ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁in ▁East ▁Baltimore . ▁▁ ▁He ▁is ▁a ▁parish ion er ▁of ▁Saint ▁Francis ▁X avier ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁father ▁of ▁two ▁daughters , ▁Car la ▁and ▁E ri ka . ▁ ▁May oral ▁b ids ▁▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁Sto kes ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁candidates ▁v ying ▁for ▁mayor ▁in ▁the ▁dem ocr atic ▁primary ▁election ▁for ▁Mayor ▁of ▁Baltimore ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁election . ▁A ▁Republican ▁had ▁not ▁won ▁the ▁mayor alty ▁since ▁The odore ▁McK eld in ' s ▁second ▁tour ▁as ▁Mayor ▁( 1 9 6 3 - 1 9 6 7 ). ▁Thus ▁the ▁focus ▁in ▁Baltimore ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁Democratic ▁primary . ▁ ▁Of ▁the ▁ 1 5 , ▁three ▁were ▁considered ▁co equal ▁front ▁run ners : ▁ ▁Sto kes , ▁City ▁Council ▁president ▁Lawrence ▁Bell ▁and ▁then ▁Council man ▁Martin ▁O ' Mal ley . ▁ ▁At ▁one ▁point ▁Sto kes ▁enjoyed ▁ ▁a ▁slight ▁lead ▁in ▁the ▁pol ls , ▁but ▁O ' Mal ley , ▁the