Jawando leads primary for Montgomery County executive; Elrich ahead in council

ROCKVILLE, MD. - With about 70% of the ballots counted, Will Jawando holds a commanding lead in the Democratic primary for Montgomery County Executive.

While The Associated Press has not officially called the race, Jawando captured 40.8% of the vote with 36,517 tallies.

Fellow County Council members Andrew Friedson and Evan Glass follow, with Friedson securing 33.5% (29,968 votes) and Glass capturing 22% before conceding the race on Wednesday afternoon.

If his lead holds, the 43-year-old Silver Spring native and former civil rights attorney will face Republican Esther Wells in the November general election.

Wells decisively won the Republican primary with more than 60% of the vote, per the AP. 

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However, the math heavily favors the Democratic nominee in Maryland's largest county; roughly 89,000 Democrats cast ballots in their primary, compared to just 8,600 Republicans.

Jawando's vision for the county

First elected to the County Council in 2018, Jawando’s platform centers on education, affordable housing and targeted tax reform, according to his campaign website. 

With renters making up 35%-40% of the county's 1.1 million residents, housing security is a top priority, alongside universal child care and robust school funding, per FOX 5 D.C. reporting. 

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"We need to invest in what makes us strong," Jawando said in a statement. "Every dollar you put into MCPS [Montgomery County Public Schools] you get multiple fold back in economic growth, in better educational attainment and less crime."

On immigration and local business, Jawando has advocated for protecting undocumented residents from federal enforcement, also per his campaign website.

He also favors simplifying regulations for small businesses, which make up 95% of the county's economy.

Shifting the tax burden and council shifts

To fund his initiatives, Jawando is proposing a higher income tax for wealthy residents rather than a residential property tax hike, another position his campaign details online. 

The current County Executive, Marc Elrich, is prohibited by term limits from seeking a third term and is instead running for one of four at-large seats on the Montgomery County Council.

As of Wednesday morning, Elrich led that crowded field with 45,124 votes (14.6%), per the AP. 

Alongside Elrich, candidates Laurie-Anne Sayles, Scott Evan Goldberg and Fatmata Barrie emerge as the current top vote-getters for the four available seats.

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Elrich told FOX 5 D.C. that he has urged Jawando to look at commercial property to fund future county initiatives.

He also noted that Montgomery County currently has the lowest commercial property taxes in the D.C. area, which he said leaves money on the table that neighboring jurisdictions actively use for infrastructure and economic development.

Despite the high stakes of the primary, experts note that the transition is unlikely to cause a drastic, immediate shift in daily life, taxes or schooling for the majority of Montgomery County residents.