Elections Today for Maryland Cities: Rockville, Salisbury, Gaithersburg, College Park, Greenbelt, Takoma Park & More!

By Matt Verghese

Election Day 2015 is upon us. Nationally, Democrats and progressives have a number of competitive races to watch: Attorney General Jack Conway battling to keep the Kentucky Governor's mansion in Democratic hands; Republicans trying to fortify their one-seat State Senate majority in battleground Virginia; 3 open Pennsylvania State Supreme Court seats that could determine which party controls redistricting in 2022; Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood trying to keep his title as the last Democratic statewide official in the Deep South; and, a number of ballot measures including initiatives to legalize medical and recreational marijuana in Ohio and a referendum on the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance.

In Maryland, some of the largest municipalities head to the polls. The vast majority of municipal elections are non-partisan. Baltimore City (elections in '16), Frederick ('17), Annapolis ('17), and Hagerstown ('16) are among the few exceptions.  Many of the contests this year feature open races, multi-candidate fields challenging incumbents, and the usual accusations of stolen yard signs. With many town and city officials going on to run for higher office, Maryland Juice runs through some races to watch.

ROCKVILLE: Incumbent Mayor Bridget Donnell Newton faces a stiff challenge from political organizer and consultant Sima Osdoby, with development and growth being among the top issues in the race. Osdoby is part of Team Rockville slate - which includes incumbent city Councilmembers Julie Palkovich Carr and Virginia Onley, former Councilmember Mark Pierzchala and first-time candidate Clark Reed. Also running are Councilmember Beryl Feinberg, Twinbrook Civic Association President Rich Gottfried, former candidate Brigitta Mullican, Planning Commission member David Hill, and businessowner Patrick Schoof. The Mayor and Council are being elected to a 4-year term for the first time.

Mayor

• Bridget Donnell Newton (i)
• Sima Osdoby

At-large Council (4 seats)

• Beryl Feinberg (i)
• Richard Gottfried
• David Hill
• Brigitta Mullican
• Virginia Onley(i)
• Julia Palakovich Carr (i)
• Mark Perirzchala
• Clark Reed
• Patrick Schoof

GAITHERSBURG: Current Mayor Jud Ashman - who was appointed to the post after Mayor Sidney Katz was elected to the Montgomery County Council,  longtime Councilmember Henry Marraffa and Darline Bell-Zuccarelli are running to fill the balance of Katz's term. Ashman has been endorsed by Mr. Katz. Running for the 3 at-large Council seats are City Council Vice President Ryan Spiegel, appointed Councilmember Neil Harris, African American Democratic Club President Laurie Anne-Sayles, and attorney Robert Wu.

Mayor

• Jud Ashman (i)
• Darline Bell-Zuccarelli
• Henry Marraffa

At-large Council (3 seats)

• Neil Harris (i)
• Laurie-Anne Sayles
• Ryan Spiegel (i)
• Robert Wu

BOWIE: 21 year city council veteran Dennis Brady is challenging Mayor G. Frederick Robinson, who has the position since 1998. A number of newcomers are challenging incumbents as Bowie residents elect councilmembers who will now serve a 4 year term. These include veteran Kelly Rowe challenging Councilmember Diane Polangin in District 2, and former President of the Bowie Chamber of Commerce Craig Muckle trying to oust Councilmember Isaac Trouth. Two open city council races have attracted Comptroller Senior Advisor Monica Best-James, former Senator Peters aide Michael Esteve, and County Executive Baker intergovernmental affairs attorney Courtney Glass among others.  Dufour Woolfley, Jimmy Marcos and Henri Gardner - all sitting Councilmembers - are vying for 2 at-large spots.

Mayor 

• Dennis Brady
• G. Frederick Robinson (i)
• Keith Alphonso Jackson

At-large Council (2 seats)

• Henri Gardner
• James L. Marcos
• Dufour Woolfley (i)

Council District 1

• Jenmaire Dewberry
• Michael P. Esteve
• Pauletta G. Handy
• Monica Best-James

Council District 2

• Diane M. Polangin (i)
• Kelly P. Rowe

Council District 3

• Babatunde O. Alegbeleye
• James Scott Hessberger, Jr.
• Courtney D. Glass

Council District 4

• Isaac C. Trouth (i)
• Craig M. Muckle

COLLEGE PARK: District 4 Councilwoman Denise Mitchell and District 1 Councilman Patrick Wojahn are vying to succeed Mayor Andy Fellows, who is stepping down after three terms. Mitchell would be the first African American woman to hold the post, and Wojahn would be the City's first openly gay mayor. Incumbent Councilmembers Faziul Kabir, P.J. Brennan, Monroe Dennis, Robert Day, Stephanie Stullich and Alan Hew all face competitive races. Interesting to note that 6 out of 18 candidates running in College Park are either UMD alumni, professors or students.

Mayor

• Denise Mitchell
• Patrick Wojahn

Council District 1 (2 seats)

• Faziul Kabir (i)
• Christine Nagle
• Cory Sanders

Council District 2 (2 seats)

• Daniel Blasberg
• P.J. Brennan (i)
• Vivian Conway
• Monroe Dennis (i)

Council District 3 (2 seats)

• Ryan Belcher
• Robert Day (i)
• Robert McCeney
• John Rigg
• Stephanie Stullich (i)

Council District 4 (2 seats)

• Mary Cook
• Oscar Gregory
• Alan Hew (i)
• Dustyn Kujawa

SALISBURY: The Eastern Shore's largest city has revamped its electoral system for 2015 -- moving elections from the spring tot he fall, synchronizing terms of all elected officials, creating five single-member districts and eliminating their primary election. Current Mayor Jim Ireton decided against running for reelection, and instead filed to run for Council. City Council President Jake Day is running opposed for Mayor. All four City Council members are running for reelection - with Jack Heath and Tim Spies contesting from the same district. In the open District 2, former candidate and Libertarian Muir Boda seems to have the inside track.

Mayor

• Jake Day

Council District 1

• Sarah Halcott
• April Jackson
• Shanie Shields (i)

Council District 2

• Keyvan Aarabi
• Marvin Ames
• Muir Boda
• Justin Gregoli

Council District 3

• Jack Heath  (i)
• Kevin Lindsay
• Tim Spies (i)

Council District 4

• Jim Ireton
• Roger Mazullo

Council District 5

• Laura Mitchell (i)

LAUREL: Mayor Craig Moe running unopposed for a fourth term, and all five City Council incumbents are favored to win reelection. Laurel has been in the news recently over the possible closure of Laurel Regional Hospital and the local MARC train station.

Mayor

• Craig Moe (i)

At-large Council

• Michael Leszcz (i)

Council Ward 1 (2 seats)

• Carl Dewalt
• Jeffrey Mills
• Valerie Nicholas (i)
• H. Edward Ricks (i)

Council Ward 2 (2 seats)

• Donna Crary (i)
• Fred Smalls (i)
• Mansoor Zia

GREENBELT: Residents elect a 7 member at-large Council with the highest vote getter traditionally being selected as mayor. Emmett Jordan -  who became the City's first African American Mayor in 2013 - is running for reelection, along with former longtime Mayor Judith 'J' Davis and the 5 other incumbent members of the City Council.

At-large Council (7 seats)

• Silke I. Pope (i)
• Susan H. Stewart
• Emmett V. Jordan (i)
• Leta M. Mach (i)
• Konrad E. Herling (i)
• Rodney M. Roberts (i)
• Edward V. J. Putens (i)
• Judith F. Davis (i)
• Kathleen Marie Shaw
• Bill Orleans
• George R. Boyce

TAKOMA PARK: Councilmember Kate Stewart and local landlord Warren Holmes are facing off to become Takoma Park's next Mayor. Outgoing Mayor Bruce Williams - who is completing his 22nd year on the City Council - was the region's first openly gay elected official. Stewart - who has been endorsed by Williams, State Senator Jamie Raskin and County Councilmember Tom Hucker - is the frontrunner. The only other contested race is in Ward 1 where former HUD Assistant Secretary Peter Kovar and two others are running to replace Seth Grimes.

Mayor 

• Warren Holmes
• Kate Stewart

Council Ward 1

• Peter Kovar
• Victor Thuronyi
• Elizabeth Forbes Wallace

Council Ward 2

• Tim Male (i)

Council Ward 3

• Rizzy Qureshi

Council Ward 4 

• Terry Seamens (i)

Council Ward 5

• Jarrett Smith (i)

Council Ward 6

• Fred Schultz (i)

ABERDEEN: Incumbent Mayor Michael Bennett who prevailed in 2011 by only 26 votes, is fending of challenges from the City's first elected Mayor Ruth Elliott, Republican activist and perennial candidate Patrick McGrady, and former teacher and Delegate candidate Marla Posey-Moss. The City Council race includes incumbents Sandra Landbeck and Stephen Smith, and a 3 person slate aligned with McGrady. Mayor Bennett has endorsed both current Councilmembers as well as Appeals Board member Melvin Tyalor and  teacher Tim Lindecamp.

Mayor 

• Michael Bennett (i)
• Ruth Elliott
• Patrick McGrady 
• Marla Posey-Moss

Council (4 seats)

• Carol Bruce
• Sean DeBonis
• Daniel Forte
• Jason Kolligs
• Barbara Kreamer
• Sandra Landbeck (i)
• Tim Lindecamp
• Stephen Smith  (i)
• Melvin Taylor

RUMOR: A Doug Gansler Ticket w/ Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton or Del. Mary Washington? // PLUS: Cummings Picks Brown

PLUS: THE 2014 RETURN OF LT. GOVERNOR MICHAEL STEELE? 

UPDATE: A Maryland Juice reader points out on Facebook that Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton was at one of the Brown-Ulman campaign events today. We heard this might be happening, so it raises the question whether the possible LG picks listed below are a wish-list or a vetting list??


Maryland Juice sources recently began buzzing about possible 2014 running mates for Attorney General Doug Gansler's gubernatorial campaign. A few names were being mentioned around the political watercooler including Delegates Jolene Ivey, Kieffer Mitchell, & Joseline Pena-Melnyk, along with Wes Moore of Baltimore. But while Maryland politicos started tuning into Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown's selection of HoCo Exec Ken Ulman, I began hearing more murmurs about Gansler's 2014 selection process. Details on that and much more below!

JUICE #1: RUMORS SUGGEST DOUG GANSLER LOOKING AT SALISBURY MAYOR JIM IRETON & DEL. MARY WASHINGTON FOR LG - Recent rumors suggest that Attorney General Doug Gansler may be looking for a running mate from the LGBT community. As soon as I posted a JuiceBlender speculating on possible Lt. Governor picks for Doug Gansler's campaign, I received some interesting anonymous commentary in Maryland Juice's anonymous drop box:

ANONYMOUS READER: I am an anonymous source who has a position on the Gansler campaign. He is definitely running for governor, so any speculation otherwise is false. He is starting to consider running mates and one of the ones he talks about most is Salisbury mayor Jim Ireton. I can confirm that Ireton is a top contender. Ireton, the Eastern Shores first openly LGBT mayor was recently reelected with almost 70% of the vote....

At first I parked this information to one side of my brain, as I had no way of verifying whether this anonymous comment actually came from a true Gansler source (note: my anonymous drop box does not require sources to leave contact details).  But a couple days after this message was left, a knowledgeable source told Maryland Juice that she thought it seemed like Doug Gansler was looking at Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton, and she also added Delegate Mary Washington's name to the mix.  Notably, both Ireton and Washington are openly gay/lesbian elected Democrats. Here is a little bit of information on the two officials:

JIM IRETON: Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton's website bio is pretty sparse but provides the following information:

Jim Ireton has been Salisbury’s mayor since 2009. A native of Salisbury, he’s been a teacher in Wicomico County for nearly two decades. He’s served as a City Council member and on various volunteer and non-profit boards and committees. Under his leadership, Salisbury has not raised its property taxes, lowered its capacity fees and lowered its violent crime rate.

WAMU reported on Salisbury Mayor Jim Ireton's April re-election victory over a rightwing blogger (excerpt below):

WAMU: Voters in Salisbury have re-elected the city's first openly gay mayor to another term by a convincing 2 to 1 margin. The results of yesterday's election may spark other major changes in the Eastern Shore's largest city....

Ireton was jubilant in victory but seemed focused on the future in his speech to hundreds of supporters. "Salisbury spoke loud and clear today that they want progress over pontification and backbone over blogging," Ireton says....  Ireton's opponent, conservative blogger Joe Albero, was humble in defeat, and says he is considering shutting down his blog and moving his family to the Carolinas.

MARY WASHINGTON: Delegate Mary Washington represents Baltimore's House District 43. Her website bio states:

Mary Washington resides in the Ednor Gardens-Lakeside neighborhood of Baltimore City. Mary first fell in love with Baltimore when she moved here in 1989 as a graduate student in sociology at The Johns Hopkins University, where she earned her Ph.D. in 1997. A native of Philadelphia and a graduate of the Philadelphia High School for Girls (Girls’ High), Mary is the eldest of six children and the daughter of two health care professionals.

Mary took her 25 years of public service to the Maryland House of Delegates, and uses her skills in linking communities to resources, her deep commitments to the health, education, and economic welfare of our city residents, and her highly informed approach to community organizing and progressive politics to make the 43rd District and Baltimore City a healthier, stronger, and more vibrant home for us all.

Currently, Mary is on the Board of Directors of The Parks & People Foundation, where she has been involved since 2008. She is also a member of the Baltimore Green Jobs Coalition (2008-Present), Commissioner of the Baltimore Sustainability Commission (2008-Present), and Chair of the Baltimore Sustainability Commission’s Water Working Group (2008-Present). Mary is also a member of the Ednor Gardens-Lakeside Community Association, the Greater Baltimore Black Chamber of Commerce, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)-Baltimore City.

One thought on Maryland Juice's mind is whether Attorney General Doug Gansler may be trying to defuse the historical elements of both the Anthony Brown & Heather Mizeur campaigns through his LG pick. Hmm.

JUICE #2: CONGRESSMAN ELIJAH CUMMINGS ENDORSES BROWN-ULMAN TICKET - Maryland Juice recently reported on rumors that Baltimore-area Congressman Elijah Cummings would likely be endorsing Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown. It turns out our sources were correct! This morning Rep. Cummings blessed the newly minted 2014 team of Anthony Brown & Ken Ulman, and The Baltimore Sun published commentary from Cummings late last night (excerpt below):

BALTIMORE SUN: The veteran Baltimore congressman, who also represents parts of Baltimore and Howard counties, is widely regarded as the most influential African-American office holder in Maryland. His endorsement continues the momentum Brown has built up since he became the first Democratic contender to announce his candidacy on May 10....

Cummings was the co-chairman of the 2008 Maryland campaign for Barack Obama along with Brown's chief rival for the 2014 nomination, Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler.... In a statement released to The Sun, Cummings said Brown will be an "exceptional governor" and Ulman will be an "incredibly strong partner."

"Anthony Brown and Ken Ulman offer Maryland the competent and caring leadership team that we need to build upon the successes of the last 6 years. I am deeply gratified that Anthony and Ken have agreed to join forces, and I offer my strongest support and endorsement to this exceptional team," Cummings said....

Patch.com's Bryan Sears posted Tweeted following photo from this morning's rally with Brown, Ulman & Cummings:

JUICE #3: FORMER LT. GOV. MICHAEL STEELE SAYS HE MAY RUN FOR GOVERNOR, ON SAME DAY HARFORD EXEC DAVID CRAIG ANNOUNCES FOR GOP NOMINATION - The Washington Post today published word from former RNC Chair and Maryland Lt. Governor Michael Steele indicating he might seek the GOP nomination for Governor in 2014. But Steele made the announcement on the same day that Harford County  Executive David Craig scheduled his own campaign kickoff - ouch! (excerpt below):

WASHINGTON POST: Michael Steele, a former Republican National Committee chairman and former lieutenant governor of Maryland, is weighing a 2014 gubernatorial bid, he said Monday.

“We’re looking at it,” Steele, who is now an MSNBC contributor, told host Chuck Todd on his program “The Daily Rundown” on the network. Steele said he doesn’t feel that he needs to make a decision until the end of the year.... His comments came on the same day that Harford County Executive David R. Craig (R) became the first major Republican candidate to announce his bid to succeed Gov. Martin O’Malley (D)....

MORE ON MARYLAND'S GUBERNATORIAL BATTLES SOON!