Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) -- who is considering a 2016 presidential run -- has joined the growing roster of politicians who think the District of Columbia's football team should change its name.
"We hope that in every generation we become more understanding of one another, more inclusive as a people, and more respectful of the dignity of every individual and every culture," he told Fusion's Jorge Ramos in an interview Monday. "So I think it probably is time for the Redskins to change their name."
O'Malley is the latest political figure to come out against the name. President Barack Obama has said he would consider changing the name of the team if he owned it, and in May, 50 senators signed a letter urging the National Football League to encourage the team to change its name.
Native Americans around the country have long called the name offensive. The team's owner, Dan Snyder, has remained ardently opposed to any name change.
"After 81 years, the team name 'Redskins' continues to hold the memories and meaning of where we came from, who we are, and who we want to be in the years to come," he said in a letter to fans last year.
Earlier this summer, a HuffPost/YouGov poll found that only 21 percent of respondents thought the team should change its name. Among those polled, the most popular alternate name was the "Washington Warriors."
And O'Malley may find that some of his constituents don't agree with him, either. A Facebook analysis found it was the most popular NFL franchise in several Maryland counties.
O'Malley is considered a likely contender for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016. In the Fusion interview, he said he is "seriously considering" a run.
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