Widow of Elijah Cummings will run for his seat in Congress: 'I'm looking to continue to fight'

The widow of Rep. Elijah Cummings, Maya Rockeymoore Cummings, is planning to run for her late husband's seat in Congress.

"We fought alongside of each other for a very long time, and now I'm looking to continue to fight. He would want me to continue to fight and so that's what I'm going to do," Rockeymoore Cummings told the Baltimore Sun.

After serving more than two decades in Congress, Cummings, 68, died Oct. 17, from "complications concerning longstanding health challenges," his office said.

The decision for her run was made along with her husband before he died.

"That was a discussion we had some months ago," she told the Sun. "In the end, he was conflicted about whether he should resign or stay in office. We thought there might be a turnaround. It didn't happen."

Rockeymoore Cummings, who is the chairwoman of the Maryland Democratic Party, told the Sun she would resign from her state party position ahead of her campaign. She also ran for Maryland governor last year, before assuming the position of state party chair.

Rockeymoore Cummings is expected to kick off her campaign in Baltimore today.

"I am a fighter," she said. "I don’t shy away from the label. I will continue to press on and fight. I will fight the Trump administration, which is trying to undermine the social safety net."