Colleen Grablick
Jenny Gathright
With Gov. Larry Hogan reaching his term limit, local county executives vying to hold onto their seats, redistricting drama, and a primary that’s been delayed, there’s a lot going on in Maryland this election cycle.
In case you forgot the details of the turmoil that delayed the primary to July 19 instead of June 28 — putting the contest in the middle of summer vacations, shortening the general election campaign season, and generally stirring confusion– here’s a refresher: Maryland Democrats in the General Assembly passed a new congressional map in December 2021 that essentially guaranteed their party a political advantage. Hogan vetoed that map within 24 hours, unsurprisingly, and the General Assembly swiftly overrode his veto. Then, a group of Republican state lawmakers sued to stop the implementation of the new boundaries, arguing that they were a product of extreme gerrymandering. In March 2022, with the redistricting map in legal limbo, the Maryland Court of Appeals delayed the election so officials had more time to plan. They eventually released a map with more regular districts, and Hogan approved the new map in April.
In the governor’s race, a crowded field of nine Democrats (formerly 10) are vying for control after eight years of Republican leadership. The GOP race to replace Hogan, like other state primaries this year, will be a litmus test for Donald Trump’s influence in the state. Politicos see Maryland as one of Democrats’ best shots at flipping a governorship this election cycle, with a laundry list of well-funded and politically experienced candidates — but the race remains fairly undecided. Peter Franchot (currently Maryland’s comptroller) enjoyed the most support in the first independent polling which showed him carrying 20% of the votes, with Wes Moore (a former nonprofit CEO) coming in second, and Tom Perez (who has earned endorsements from Nancy Pelosi and the Washington Post) in third. Rushern Baker III, former Prince George’s County Executive, was fourth. Facing dwindling campaign finances, Baker recently suspended his campaign.
Meanwhile, Hogan-backed Republican candidate Kelly Schulz is hoping to fend off Dan Cox, a far-right, Trump-endorsed state delegate who subscribes to untrue conspiracies about 2020 election fraud (he even organized bus trips to D.C. on Jan. 6). Perennial candidate and recently disbarred lawyer Robin Ficker and Harford County attorney Joe Werner are also seeking the Republican nomination.
Also up on this primary ballot is the state attorney general’s race, which Democrats are hoping to nab for the first time since 1952. Democratic Rep. Anthony Brown (D-4th District), who was Maryland’s former Lieutenant Governor under governor Martin O’Malley, has won the support of Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. Meanwhile, his opponent Katie Curran O’Malley, who is also the wife of his old boss, has been endorsed by the Washington Post. In the Republican contest, ex-prosecutor and former president of the Montgomery County Board of Elections Jim Shalleck is facing off against Michael Peroutka, a former Anne Arundel County councilman with ties to Southern secessionist, white supremacist groups.
In Montgomery and Prince George’s County, this summer’s contests for county executive and newly reshaped district seats will likely determine the counties’ outlooks for the next four years, with the November general election serving merely as a formality in these heavily Democratic-leaning areas. County executives Marc Elrich and Angela Alsobrooks are both running for reelection and touting their records over the past four years, including leading their jurisdictions through a pandemic, while their challengers are pointing out unkept campaign promises. And with new Districts in both counties, new faces are emerging to take the helm of newly drawn boundaries.Click the links below to jump to overviews of each race:
Montgomery County: County Executive, County Council, State’s Attorney, Sheriff
Prince George’s County: County Executive, County Council, State’s Attorney, Sherff
Montgomery County
Incumbent Marc Elrich is hoping to hold onto his seat for a second term, but the former Montgomery County councilmember, known for his at-times unconventional and blunt approach to politics, has drawn a significant crowd of critics since his election in 2018. This cycle, he’s defending himself against accusations of promises made but not kept, and growing concerns over his approach to the affordable housing crisis.
Some detractors even went as far as creating a website outlining the failed progress on issues like the environment, economic equity, and housing.
While he bills himself as a progressive, Elrich has been fielding NIMBY allegations for years, particularly after lobbying against an affordable housing resolution, saying that more housing for low-income residents wasn’t needed. He’s also skeptical of the housing policy suggestions in Thrive 2050, an update to the county’s general plan.
“This plan is masquerading and being touted as affordable housing, and there’s nothing in this plan that produces a shred of new affordable or additional affordable housing,” Elrich said on a recent appearance on The Politics Hour with Kojo Nnamdi.
Elrich faces At-Large Councilmember Hans Riemer, wealthy business executive David Blair, and tech CEO Peter James.
Elrich finds his most direct opponent in Riemer, who supports handing out tax breaks for developers, loosening zoning and other housing regulations, and bumping up affordable housing requirements in wealthy areas.
David Blair, who lost to Elrich in the 2018 Democratic primary, is up for round two, after spending the last few years developing a nonprofit that seeks to educate residents on local issues which he founded following his loss. But Blair also faces criticism for not getting stuff done, particularly in his nonprofit role as the founder and executive director of Council of Advocacy and Policy Solutions a group that seeks to educate residents on local issues, according to their website. He won the endorsement of outgoing, longtime Councilmember Nancy Navarro, a frequent critic of Elrich, who is currently the running mate of gubernatorial candidate Rushern Baker. On a recent appearance on The Politics Hour, Elrich suggested Navarro only endorsed Blair so that she could get a job with him if they lost the governorship. Navarro took offense , saying her endorsement came from her belief that the county “will not move forward” under the incumbent’s leadership.
James, who runs a robotics company, entered the race this March. He ran and won the Republican primary for Maryland’s 4th District in 2008 but lost handedly in the general election to Democrat Donna Edwards. He told the Bethesda Beat he’s been an independent voter, and registered as a Democrat for this election. His platform is grounded in his industry experience, focusing on tech solutions to transportation, housing, and the environment.
Both Riemer and Elrich are participating in Montgomery County’s public financing program, and latest reports show Riemer outraising his the incumbent. Blair, who largely self-funded his $5 million 2018 campaign, isn’t participating in public financing. Recent polling from Data for Progress, a left-leaning think tank, puts Elrich in the lead with 33% support, while Blair and Riemer both got 14%. Still, 38% of survey participants said they were undecided.
Two Republican hopefuls are squaring off for the GOP nomination, but in the heavily blue suburb the executive race is usually all but decided in the primary.
Recommended reading: WAMU/DCist’s recent deep-dive into Montgomery County’s housing problem, WAMU/DCist’s assessment of the county executive field in 2021, the Post’s write-up of Elrich’s attempts to fix his reputation (and defend his record), the Post’s dive into Blair’s non-profit work, Bethesda Beat’s coverage of a recent debate and interviews with the candidates: Riemer, Blair, and Elrich. Riemer,Blair, and Elrich also all appeared on The Politics Hour this Spring.
Thanks to the re-drawn county map, Montgomery County voters will be electing members to two newly created county council seats. In County Council District 7, which spans areas like Olney and Damascus, seven Democrats are vying for the spot. In District 6, which includes Wheaton, Glenmont, and Aspen Hill, there are eight candidates. Districts 5, 4, and 2 are also wide open, while incumbent Andrew Friedson is running uncontested in District 1 (Bethesda, Potomac, and most of Chevy Chase). Sidney Katz hopes to hold onto his seat in District 3, representing Rockville and Gaithersburg.
The four at-large seats on the council are also up for election this year, but with a few shake-ups. Tom Hucker, who currently represents the 5th District, entered the race for county executive in 2021 but dropped out of the competition this past April. Now, he’s filed to run for an At-Large seat. He told the Bethesda Beat that, given redistricting, it made more sense to vie for an at-large seat than the new 4th District, which only includes some of his current district. Hucker joins other current electeds — Council president Gabe Albronoz, and at-large members Will Jawando and Evan Glass — in his bid to hold onto a council role. Hucker, billed as a progressive, shares some of the same base as Elrich, but entered the race criticizing his ability to get things done. Albornoz, meanwhile, has been endorsed by a number of unions, CASA in Action (a group that works to get immigrants and people of color elected to office in Maryland), and U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin. Jawando and Glass enjoy much of the same support.
Four other Democrats are also in the at-large running: Scott Goldberg, Laurie-Ann Sayles, Dana Gassaway, and Brandy Brooks. Brooks made headlines earlier this year amid allegations that she sexually harassed a campaign staffer. Billed as a Democratic socialist, Brooks paused her campaign for two weeks but vowed to stay in the race. While she still boasts endorsements of progressive colleagues like D.C. councilmember Janeese Lewis George and Del. Gabriel Acevero, the allegations prompted the Metro DC chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America and CASA in Action to rescind their endorsements of Brooks.
Laurie-Anne Sayles, a consultant for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the first Black councilmember in Gaithersburg, has been endorsed by labor unions, teachers associations, and CASA in Action.
Recommended reading: The Bethesda Beat hosted and recapped several candidate forums: At-large, District 4, District 7, District 6.
Incumbent Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy is running for a fifth term in the job this year. He faces three Democratic challengers who all argue they’d be more effective in criminal justice reform, addressing violent crime, expanding alternatives to incarceration, and ensuring more equity. McCarthy, meanwhile, has defended his record, arguing that he’s implemented progressive reforms — including commissioning a study on racial bias in his office’s charging decisions and championing programs that divert people suffering from addiction and mental illness out of the traditional criminal justice system.
Perry Paylor, who works as a deputy state’s attorney in Prince George’s County but hails from Silver Spring, said he feels that Montgomery County is “lagging behind” in criminal justice reform. When he announced his candidacy, Paylor told Maryland Matters he wanted to focus on bolstering the county’s behavioral health programs to keep people with mental health issues out of the criminal justice system. He also said he’d focus on prosecuting violent crime,elder abuse, and increasing the diversity of the state’s attorney’s office staff if elected.
Bernice Mireku-North, a Silver Spring-based attorney, served as an assistant state’s attorney in Anne Arundel County for six years before going into private practice. After her time as a prosecutor, she switched to criminal defense work and advocacy. Mireku-North recently co-chaired the county’s Reimagining Public Safety Task Force, which put forward a list of 81 recommendations for reducing reliance on police, increasing their accountability, and strengthening the county’s social safety net. One of her main policy priorities is developing more alternatives to incarceration.
Rockville-based attorney Thomas DeGonia II says he wants to “end the school-to-prison pipeline, overhaul systems set up to dehumanize defendants, and prioritize racial justice.” He said he entered the race “because prosecutors have got to be problem-solvers, not paper pushers.” DeGonia says he wants to reform juvenile justice in the county so that it “treats kids like kids,” and for the office to focus more on the root causes of crime. DeGonia previously worked as an assistant state’s attorney in Montgomery County for eight years, and served as president of the Montgomery County Bar Association. He was also the president of the Family Justice Center Foundation in Montgomery County, which provides legal and other assistance to survivors of domestic violence for 12 years — work he says was inspired by his role on the domestic violence docket at the state’s attorney’s office.
No Republican candidates are running for the top prosecutor position.
Recommended reading: A Bethesda Beat primaryvoter guide for state’s attorney, a Bethesda Beatstory about the state of the race, aBethesda Beat summary of a virtual candidate forum in February, and Maryland Matters profiles of each candidate:Bernice Mireku-North,Thomas DeGonia, Perry Paylor.
The Montgomery County sheriff’s office serves as the enforcement arm of county courts, which means officers transport people who are incarcerated and detained at county facilities and serve civil papers to residents. A major responsibility is also responding to domestic violence by helping survivors file protection orders and then serving them to their alleged abusers. The current Montgomery County sheriff, Darren Popkin, announced last year that he would not be running for re-election. There are two candidates running: Robert Bass, a former NFL player, was a Montgomery County sheriff’s deputy for eight years, working in the domestic violence and court transportation units. He currently runs a private security firm called NLA Security, which says on its website that it “offers high quality armed and unarmed guards for permanent or temporary assignment.” He says he wants the sheriff’s office to do a better job engaging with the community and that he’d “focus on creating partnerships with other agencies and community organizations.” He’s argued that his combination of public and private sector experience makes him right for the job.
Maxwell Uy, the current chief deputy of the Montgomery County sheriff’s office, is running to assume his former boss’s role as sheriff (Popkin has also endorsed his candidacy). He has touted his 28 years of experience in the sheriff’s office and says he wants to tackle the office’s challenges in attracting qualified and diverse candidates. He also says he wants to prioritize de-escalation training for officers.
Recommended reading: A Bethesda Beat voter guide for sheriff’s race, Bethesda Beat announcement of Robert Bass’s candidacy, and the Bethesda Beat announcement of Darren Popkin’s retirement and Maxwell Uy’s candidacy.
Prince George’s County
Incumbent Angela Alsobrooks is seeking a second term after becoming the first Black woman to hold the role in state history. She’s likely to comfortably keep her seat, thanks to her popularity and a healthy campaign war chest.
Prior to running for county executive, Alsobrooks was the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney for eight years. She led a cautious approach to the pandemic in the majority-Black (and second-most populous) county in the state. Prince George’s recorded the highest number of COVID cases in Maryland and, as was the case across the U.S., Black and Latino residents bore the brunt of the virus.
A mentee and friend of Vice President Kamala Harris, Alsobrooks has filled her cabinet with Black women and emphasized addressing the county’s inequities. While she made efforts to expand food access during the pandemic, bridge gaps in vaccine rates, and reduce police intervention in mental health crises, Alsobrooks faces criticism for failing to serve Latino residents, who make up nearly 20% of the county’s population.
Her reputation regarding education — a focal point of her first campaign — is less than stellar but she’s managed to secure a public-private partnership to construct six new schools, making it the first school district in the nation to do so.
A former prosecutor, Alsobrooks has made attempts at reforming criminal justice, including diverting funding from police training to build a new mental health facility, vowing to implement 46 of the 50 recommendations made by a police reform task force, and paying $20 million in a settlement to the family of a man killed by county police officers. But she’s also spent millions fighting a lawsuit brought by Black and Latino officers of color who are alleging racism and discrimination by white officers on the force.
Challenging Alsobrooks is ex-NFL player Leigh Bodden, real estate agent Sherman Hardy, attorney Tonya Sweat, and former county executive candidate Billy Bridges, although she’s out-fundraised all of them.
State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy is also up for reelection and isn’t facing a challenger.
Recommended reading: A write-up of Alsobrooks’ history of tapping Black women to fill her cabinet, as well as criticism that she fails to reach Latino residents. Washington Informer also has a recent write-up of her latest endorsement.
Like in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County’s election map will look different this year thanks to months of drama and legal back-and-forth over proposed redistricting.
The County Council passed a new map in 2021 via a resolution. that was introduced as a controversial alternative to the one drafted by an independent redistricting commission. More than 100 residents testified against it, accusing the council of gerrymandering in favor of incumbents. The council’s map would have changed the boundaries in three districts where candidates had already started campaigning. In 2022, a group of residents filed a lawsuit asking a court to reject it, arguing that a resolution for redistricting is not the same as passing legislation allowing lawmakers to redraw lines. In February, a judge overturned the council’s map, ordering the county to use one created by an independent redistricting commission. (The Court of Appeals of Maryland later upheld the lower court’s ruling).
Now headed into the polls, voters across the county will be electing one person to each of the nine county seats. While District 1 councilmember Tom Dernoga and District 5 councilmember Jolene Ivey don’t have opponents, the rest of the seats are up for grabs. Current at-large members Mel Franklin and Calvin Hawkins are running again, facing challenges from RudyAnthony, Sam Elira, Leo Eyomb, Standford Fraser, and Jonathan White.
Recommended reading: Washington Informer hosted a candidate forum.
State’s Attorney
Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy is running unopposed.
Like in Montgomery County, the sheriff’s office serves as the enforcement arm of the county’s court system, serving civil papers to residents and transporting and overseeing people who have entered the county’s courts (similar to Montgomery County.)
Current county sheriff Melvin C. High will not be seeking reelection at the end of his four-year term this year, leaving the race open between five Democratic candidates: John D.B. Carr, Elliott W. Gibson, Dave Grogan, Sylvester E Jones, and Loralyn Mayo.
Most of the county’s law enforcement establishment has coalesced behind Carr, who currently serves as an assistant sheriff in Prince George’s County. He touts endorsements from outgoing sheriff High, Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy, along with unions representing the county’s police, corrections officers, and firefighters. He says he’ll focus on expanding services for domestic violence, ramping up the pursuit of warrants for people with gun charges and other violent charges, expanding community outreach and advocating for expanded mental health services.
Gibson, who currently serves as the police chief for the town of Edmonston, started his police career in D.C. in the 1970s. Before he led the Edmonston department, he was chief of police in District Heights, where he was fired after a state investigation found that he had engaged in improper hiring practices. (Gibson told NBC4 that he considered the investigation to be a personal attack.) On his campaign website, Gibson says he wants to increase oversight at court facilities, institute community engagement programs, and create an employee wellness program, among other pledges.
Grogan, a retired U.S. Marshal and former marine, is running on a platform of getting back to “basic community policing,” which he believes starts with hiring police and sheriff’s deputies from within the community. He has also argued there needs to be more accountability for police. He filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the Marshals Service while he worked there. And during his unsuccessful 2018 run for sheriff, he said the office needed to adapt to “21st century policing,” and promised to immediately investigate police shootings.
Sylvester E. Jones, who formerly served as a top official with the U.S. Marshals Service, ran unsuccessfully for the county sheriff role in both 2014 and 2018. He touts his experience managing a large staff at the Marshals Service, and helping to run the witness protection program, among other tasks, as the reason why he’s most qualified for the job. Jones was placed on leave from his job at the Marshals Service in 2010 after being arrested and charged with first and second-degree assault on his wife. He was later acquitted of the charges.
Mayo, who has led a private security business for the last 15 years and formerly served as a U.S. Marshal, says she wants to increase awareness of the sheriff’s office, focus on responding to domestic violence, and strengthen partnerships with other county agencies to help get residents the resources they need.
This post has been corrected to reflect that Hans Riemer is outfundraising Marc Elrich.
