On this week's Down to Business, Governor of Maryland Martin O'Malley announced his entrance into the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.

O'Malley is coming to the close of his second term, after previously serving two terms as the mayor of Baltimore.

A proud Irish-American who traces his roots back three generations to Clonbur, near the Galway/Mayo border, he has a whiff of a Kennedy about him.

He is fundamentally a practical figure, saying, "I don't ask whether something leans to the left or the right; I ask if it works." But like Kennedy, there are aims and ideals that underpin his politics, and he speaks passionately about restoring the American Dream to what it was.

Politically outspoken on issues such as wealth inequality, banking regulation and immigration reform, he stands to the left of Clinton and most of the present Democratic nominees.

A man with 15 consecutive years of executive experience, O'Malley has much to be proud of. During his time as mayor, Baltimore's crime rate saw a larger reduction than any other major city in the US during the period. While he was governor, Maryland was named the best state for innovation and entrepreneurship, and its public schools were the highest ranked in the nation for five years running.

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It is widely believed that the character of Tommy Carcetti (played by Aidan Gillen) from TV show The Wire was based O'Malley, though he has long expressed his distaste for how the show negatively portrays Baltimore.

He is aware of his outsider status - polling at around 1 or 2 per cent - but has not been discouraged. His bid for mayor in 1999 began in the single digits, and long-odds candidates like Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter show it can be done at a national level.

So, with his declaration, we might soon have another official visit home from Irish-American president - one that plays in a trad band, in fact.

Listen to the full interview with Bobby Kerr on the Down to Business podcast: