Wes Moore endorses Braveboy for Prince George's County executive
Gov. Wes Moore (D) took sides in the Prince George's County executive's race Monday, announcing his endorsement of State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy (D) in the crowed race for that position.
Also Monday, State Treasurer Dereck Davis (D) threw his support to former County Executive Rushern L. Baker III, who's looking to regain the seat he held from 2010 to 2018.
They were the latest in an escalating round of endorsements in the special election to fill the seat vacated by former Executive Angela Alsobrooks (D) when she was sworn into the U.S. Senate in November. Eight Democrats and three Republicans are running for the seat, with early voting starting next week for the March 4 primary.
Alsobrooks last month endorsed At-Large County Councilmember Calvin Hawkins (D) to succeed her as executive. Hawkins has also received endorsements from state Sen. Nick Charles (D-Prince George's), former Planning Commissioner Dorothy Bailey and Terry Lierman, father of state Comptroller Brooke Lierman (D).
Prince George's executive candidates make their cases at forum, as clock ticks down
Braveboy had received a number of endorsements before Monday, winning the backing of the Metropolitan Washington Council of the AFL-CIO, which represents unionized workers in the Washington area and Southern Maryland. She also has the support of three current members of the county council: Vice Chair Edward Burroughs III, Wala Blegay and Krystal Oriadha, all Democrats.
Braveboy was one of the first people to endorse Moore in his run for governor in 2022, and his backing may be the most important in the state.
'As Governor, I have had the privilege of working together with Aisha Braveboy and I have seen her leadership up close, and she will be a fantastic partner in our shared mission of making Maryland and Prince George's County safer, more affordable, and more competitive,' Moore said in a statement.
'The combination of her public- and private-sector experience, her track record of delivering results in office, and her forward-facing vision to lead as the next County Executive is what inspired my decision,' his statement said.
In an interview Monday afternoon, Davis, a Prince George's County resident, said his support of Baker is based on experience.
'This is serious business that we're facing in the county. We need somebody who can hit the ground running day one and know the job from top to bottom,' Davis said about Baker.
'It's not to say the others don't have the ability, but he has been there and done that,' he said. 'Considering the abruptness of the seat becoming vacant, we need a steady hand to guide us through this particular point.'
Besides Davis' endorsement, Baker also received formal support from the county's Fraternal Order of Police lodges 30, 89, and 113 and the International Association of Fire Fighters & Paramedics Local 1619.
'They can trust that I will support them, never take their hard work for granted, and invest in their departments at the levels needed to serve our community and again make Prince George's County the place to be again,' Baker said in a statement.
Baker also garnered an endorsement earlier this month from County Councilmember Sydney Harrison (D).
A fourth candidate Democratic candidate, state Sen. Alonzo Washington, (D-Prince George's) has support from fellow District 22 representative, Del. Ashanti Martinez (D-Prince George's).
County Council Chair Jolene Ivey (D) was in the race, but dropped out last week. But not before picking up endorsements from former Sen. Ben Cardin (D) and Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-5th) and Kwiesi Mfume (D-7th).
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The other Democrats in the primary are Marcellus Crews, Ron Hunt, Albert Slocum and Tonya Sweat. The three Republicans are George E. McDermott, Jesse Peed and Jonathan White.
Because of the overwhelming Democratic voter registration in the county, the winner of the March 4 Democratic primary will he heavily favored to win the special June 3 general election to serve out the remaining two years of Alsobrooks' term.
Linda Thornton Thomas, president of the county's NAACP branch and one of the organizers for an executive candidate's forum Saturday, downplayed the importance of endorsements, saying they can be '50-50.'
'The biggest problem is we don't have a conversation with people,' she said. 'Even if people have seen you over and over, they don't feel you. You need to meet people where they are.'
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