ENDORSEMENT ROUNDUP: NURSES FOR ELRICH; LEGGETT FOR DANG, KATZ
Nurses Endorse Elrich for Montgomery County Executive
Marc Elrich on the streetThe National Nurses Organizing Committee, an affiliate of National Nurses United, the nation’s largest union of registered nurses, endorsed Montgomery County Councilmember Marc Elrich in his bid for county executive.
In a news release, the nursing organization praised Elrich as “the clear progressive candidate” who has worked for public health, working families and the environment.
The nurses also endorsed at-large council candidates Brandy Brooks, Danielle Meitiv and Chris Wilhelm, and Montgomery County Councilmember Tom Hucker for re-election in District 5.
NNOC/NNU previously announced endorsements of former NAACP president and CEO Ben Jealous for governor, state Sen. Roger Manno for the 6th congressional district, Del. Jeff Waldstreicher for state senate in Montgomery’s 18th legislative district and Delegate David Moon running for re-election in Montgomery’s 20th legislative district.
Elrich had previously won endorsements from Local 1994 of the United Food and Commercial Workers, also known as the Municipal and County Government Employees Organization, or MCGEO; and Lodge 35 of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP 35).
The primary election is June 26.
Elrich is one of six Democrats running to be the next county executive. Current County Executive Ike Leggett is term limited. The other Democrats in the race are Councilmembers Roger Berliner of North Potomac and George Leventhal of Takoma Park, health care executive David Blair of Potomac, Del. Bill Frick of Bethesda, and former Rockville mayor Rose Krasnow.
Brooks, Meitiv and Wilhelm are three of 33 Democrats who are seeking at-large seats on the County Council. Hucker faces Kevin Harris of Silver Spring.
Leggett Endorses Dang, Katz in Council Races
County Executive Ike Leggett endorsed candidate Hoan Dang of Wheaton on Monday in Dang’s bid to be an at-large member on the Montgomery County Council.
Leggett also endorsed Councilmember Sidney Katz in his re-election bid for the District 3 seat.
In a news release, Leggett called Dang a “selfless public servant,” citing his work on the George B. Thomas Sr. Learning Academy boar, the Montgomery County Asian American Health Initiative, IMPACT Silver Spring and the Washington Suburban Transit Commission.
Leggett also cited Dang’s budget expertise.
In endorsing Katz, Leggett said the first-term councilmember “understands how local government works,” from his 16 years as mayor of Gaithersburg and 20 years as a city councilmember.
Katz also won the endorsement of his council predecessor, Phil Andrews, who praised Katz for helping to launch Montgomery’s Mental Health Courts.
Katz is being challenged by political operative Ben Shnider of Rockville.
State Educators Union Endorses Jealous
Ben Jealous, former president and CEO of the NAACP, was endorsed by the Maryland State Education Association, according to a news release.
During MSEA’s spring meeting, 85 percent of the assembled delegates voted to endorse Jealous, citing his commitment to fully funding Maryland’s schools, raising educator pay, universal pre-K and ensuring lottery and casino revenue goes toward increasing education funding. The union represents 74,000 public school educators across Maryland.
Jealous previously received an endorsement from Progressive Neighbors.
Jealous faces eight other Democrats for the party’s nomination. Also running are Prince George’s County Executive Rushern Baker, Baltimore business owner and pastor James Hugh Jones II, perennial candidate Ralph Jaffe, Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, Montgomery County state Sen. Richard Madaleno of Kensington, entrepreneur Alec Ross, Baltimore lawyer Jim Shea and former Michelle Obama policy adviser Krishanti Vignarajah of Gaithersburg.
SEIU 1199 and 32BJ Endorse Acevero for State Delegate, District 39
Photo of Gabriel AceveroSEIU 1199 and 32BJ announced their endorsements of Gabriel Acevero of Montgomery Village for the open Maryland House seat in District 39. The unions, which collectively represent tens of thousands of health care and property services workers throughout D.C. and Maryland, were inspired by his experience working to advance the Maryland Dream Act and Marriage Equality in 2012, according to a news release.
Acevero has also been endorsed by Leggett and Council Vice President Nancy Navarro among other county elected leaders and statewide advocacy organizations, including SEIU Local 500 and CASA In Action, one the largest immigrant advocacy organizations in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Acevero is one of seven Democrats running for the three seats that represent District 39. They others are incumbents Kirill Reznik of Germantown and Shane Robinson of Montgomery Village, Bobby Bartlett of Germantown, Andy Hoverman of Montgomery Village, Lesley Lopez of Montgomery Village and Clint Sobratti of Montgomery Village.
SEIU Local 500, Firefighters Endorse Unger
Darian Unger, a candidate for District 20 in the House of Delegates, has been endorsed by SEIU Local 500, the largest union in Montgomery County, and the Montgomery County Volunteer Fire Rescue Association.
County’s Green Democrats Issue Endorsements
The Montgomery County Green Democrats, a chartered club of the Montgomery County Democratic Party dedicated to environmental sustainability and justice, today announced their endorsement of 25 Democratic candidates for county, state, and federal office in the upcoming June 26, 2018 Maryland primary election. These candidates were selected by a vote of the club’s membership and reflect the members’ expectations that if elected they will make protecting the environment a major policy priority.
Marc Elrich, county executive
Rich Madaleno, governor
Ben Cardin, U.S. senator
John Sarbanes, 3rd congressional district
Roger Manno, 6th congressional district
Jamie Raskin, 8th congressional district
Danielle Meitiv, Bill Conway and Chris Wilhelm, County Council at large
Tom Hucker, District 5
Pamela Queen, District 14 state delegate
Susan Lee, District 16 state senator
Marc Korman, Samir Paul, District 16 state delegate
Kumar Barve, District 17 state delegate
Jeff Waldstreicher, District 18 state senator
Al Carr and Jared Solomon, District 18 state delegate
Brian Crider, Vaughn Stewart, District 19 state delegate
Will Smith, District 20 state senator
Lorig Charkoudian, David Moon, District 20 state delegate
Darren Popkin, sheriff
The club has provided full, unedited responses to its questionnaires here.
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