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Prince George's County
Democrats Rally for Unity and Collective Victory in November General Election
William J. Ford WI Staff Writer
After some tough primary election races, Maryland Democrats sought to “kiss and make up” on Monday, Aug. 1 in a unified effort to win back the governor’s mansion in November’s general election.
Former Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez, who came in second place in the governor’s race with slightly more than 19,000 votes, or 3%, stressed the importance of electing Wes Moore, former Del. Aruna Miller, Rep. Anthony Brown and Del. Brooke Lierman of Baltimore City.
All four would mark firsts for Maryland: Moore as the first Black governor; Miller the first woman of color and first American Indian as lieutenant governor; Brown the first Black attorney general; and Lierman the first woman to serve as comptroller. “When we make history folks, it’s a big [expletive] deal,”
Perez said to several hundred fellow Democrats at Veterans
Plaza in Silver Spring. “To everybody who may have voted for someone else [and] may have voted for us, here’s what I’m here to say: get over it. It’s time to ratio of 2-to-1, a Democrat hasn’t held the governor’s seat since former Gov. Martin O’Malley in January 2015.
Five other gubernatorial candidates are slated to run for governor but the Democrats’ attention remains squarely on Republican Del. Dan Cox who received the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.
Cox, an attorney, husband and father of 10 children, posted a placard Sunday on his Twitter page to outline some of his proposals that include: ending transgender indoctrination in schools; eliminating health and mask mandates; and funding the police to “establish law and order in Baltimore City.”
The delegate, who represents portions of Carroll and Frederick counties, also posted a picture of Moore wearing a Maryland mask that suggested that if Moore were elected, he “will continue [President Joe] Biden’s failed economic policies and will continue the war on police and increased taxation via a carbon tax.”
Moore, an author and former nonprofit executive, summarized himself Monday as someone who pledges his allegiance to God, family, the American flag “and the peo-
5 Maryland Democrats hold signs and cheer at a rally Aug. 1 at Veterans Plaza in Silver Spring. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer) 4 Maryland Democratic gubernatorial and lieutenant governor nominees Wes Moore and Aruna Miller hold hands during a rally Aug. 1 at Veterans Plaza in Silver Spring. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)
come together. It’s time to win.”
The Maryland Democratic Party’s “All Blue In ‘22” rally focused on “unity” and “solidarity.” In addition, the participants encouraged voters to elect Democrats up and down the ballot in the Nov. 8 general election.
The governor’s seat remains the coveted prize because the second, four-year term of Republican Gov. Larry Hogan expires in January.
Although Democrats outnumber Republicans in the state by a ple of Maryland.”
“This is a Republican nominee who has pledged allegiance to Donald Trump,” he said. “This is not merely a choice between Democrats and Republicans. This is an election of two entirely different views of what our state and what our future should look like and who we will fight for.”
Moore said his administration would ensure free universal pre-kindergarten for all children, accelerate the increase for a $15 minimum wage and provide additional support and resources for the state’s historically Black colleges and universities.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott summarized his Democratic Party against the Republican Party as “sane versus crazy.”
“[Republicans’] brand of policies, their brand of hate, their brand of separation have no place in our state,” Scott said. “We want to beat
5 House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (center) sits next to Wes Moore’s wife, Dawn, during a Maryland Democratic Party rally Aug. 1 at Veterans Plaza in Silver Spring. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)
3 Former Maryland Democratic National Committee chair Tom Perez gives remarks Aug. 1 at a Maryland Democratic Party rally at Veterans Plaza in Silver Spring. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer) DEMOCRATS Page 13
Prince George’s County State Races May Face Recount Procedures
William J. Ford WI Staff Writer
Del. Nick Charles welcomed four candidates who received Democratic nominations in state legislative races in Prince George’s County.
Those candidates include Bowie City Council member Adrian Boafo and Kym Taylor, who garnered the second and third spots to represent legislative District 23; Tiffany Alston in District 24; and Jamila J. Woods in District 26.
“Congratulations on your campaign advancing to the general election,” Charles, who chairs the county’s House delegation, said in a message posted Saturday, July 30 on Kym Taylor’s Twitter page.
However, while the county’s Board of Elections had counted all the ballots by Friday, July 29, there could be recounts coming in districts 23 and 24.
The Maryland General Assembly approved legislation this year for candidates who petition for a recount must be down by at least .25%. The previous figure stood at 1%.
Candidates running for statewide offices must decide by Thursday, Aug. 4 to request a recount.
The process, which could take up to a week, allows candidates to reasrepresent municipalities and communities including Glenarden, Largo and Seat Pleasant.
“I am absolutely honored that the people of the 24th District chose me to serve them in Annapolis,” Alston said in an email Sunday, July 31.
“We ran a campaign on stabilizing the economy, delivering brave justice and exposing a health care system that puts profit over people.”
She said her first priority will be to conduct a listening tour throughout the district.
In terms of a possible recount, Alston said she trusts the work of the county’s Board of Elections and should a recount happen, “I am sure [the board] will use the same integrity and accuracy in any recount.”
Further north in the Bowie area and portions of Upper Marlboro in District 23, Taylor holds the third and final spot ahead by 19 votes, or .03%, over Jocelyn Collins.
Collins said in an email Saturday she’s conferring with counsel on whether to petition for a recount but she’s “leaning [in] that direction.”
“I ran a strong, people-focused grassroots campaign that covered every part of the District and I feel this is reflective in my vote total,” she said.
Del. Marvin Holmes, Jr. garnered the most votes with 10,382. However, Boafo recorded the highest number of mail-in and provisional ballots at 3,860.
DEMOCRATS from Page 12
them back into hiding so that they don’t want to run for elected office in Maryland.”
Another contested race features Democrat and former Del. Heather Mizeur challenging Rep. Andy Harris, the state’s only GOP member in the state’s federal delegation who challenged the 2020 presidential election of Biden.
Harris seeks a seventh term representing the 1st Congressional District with a heavy GOP influence along the Eastern Shore and portions of Baltimore, Carroll and Harford counties.
“I am running to defeat a traitor in our nation,” said Mizeur, who would be the first woman elected in the state’s federal delegation in 15 years.
She then asked the crowd, “Are sess ballots from mail-in and provisional ballots, or specific and all voting precincts.
LaTasha Ward, who sits in fourth place and trails Alston by 101 votes, or .19%, said she plans to ask for a recount.
Ward said she would like to assess why 162 ballots didn’t get counted in that race.
“We would love to see those,” she said. “I worked hard. People in the community know who I am. They know my work.”
Christopher Stevenson could also ask for a recount sitting in fifth place behind Alston by only 131 votes, or .25%.
Alston, elected as a delegate in 2010, became indicted for improperly using campaign and state funds and was later ousted from her seat in 2012.
But that didn’t matter in this year’s primary as she sits behind the top two vote-getters, Dels. Jazz Lewis and Andrea Fletcher Harrison who we ready to reject [Harris] and defeat him in November?”
“Yeah!” they yelled.
Meanwhile, Maryland Republican Party chair Dirk Haire released a statement Monday also calling for unity among the members.
Haire announced former Gov. Robert Ehrlich, Jr. will lead the party’s “2022 Victory” campaign for all GOP candidates.
“I’m excited about this fall’s elections and the many opportunities our Republican candidates have to hold and pick up seats up and down the ballot,” Ehrlich said. “I look forward to working with the State Party and our GOP candidates to hold the Governor’s man- A LOOK AT THE sion, pick up key County Executive and Congressional seats and additional seats to our General AssemCOUNTY COUNCIL RESULTS bly delegation.” WI Meanwhile, four County Council @WJFjabariwill members easily garnered the Dem-
5 Prince George’s County election worker Mark Mosby prepares to enter ballots into the vote tabulator on the final day of canvassing provisional and mail-in ballots July 29 at Lake Arbor Elementary School in Mitchellville. (Robert R. Roberts/The Washington Informer)
ocratic nomination in their respective races that include: chair Calvin Hawkins II (D-At-Large); vice chair Syndney Harrison (D-District 9); and Mel Franklin (D-At-Large), all three of Upper Marlboro; and Edward Burroughs III (D-District 9) of Camp Springs.
Council members Tom Dernoga (D-District 1) of Laurel and Jolene Ivey (D-District 5) of Cheverly ran unopposed.
Eric Olson of College Park, who served on the council between 2006 to 2014, won the Democratic nomination to represent District 3.
Beside Ivey, the council will look different with possibly five Black women.
Del. Wanika Fisher of Hyattsville won the Democratic nomination over former state Sen. Victor Ramirez by 433 votes.
Bowie City Council member Ingrid Harrison easily garnered the Democratic nomination in District 4.
Krystal Oriadha of Seat Pleasant defeated the incumbent Rodney Streeter by 3,400 votes in District 7. She represents the only candidate to face a Republican challenger, Gary Falls, in the November general election. Falls received 149 votes in last month’s primary.
If elected, Oriadha would represent council’s first openly member from the LGBTQ community.
Wala Blegay faced a tough challenge against four other Black women to obtain the Democratic nomination to represent District 6.
Blegay, an attorney with the D.C. Nurses Association who resides in Kettering, said she and some of her supporters began to dance when the lead grew to 1,200.
She plans to host a celebration Saturday, Aug. 6 in Capitol Heights. Some attendees can offer “business sponsorship” to support the event, which ranges from silver at $250 to platinum at $2,500.
Blegay gives some of the credit for her victory to residents from Cameron Grove, a 55-and-older residential community in Upper Marlboro. They sported red and white t-shirts and handed out campaign literature at several polling locations.
“We had resounding support in that area,” she said. “The Cameron Grove advocates are one of the main reasons we won. We are going to have a big celebration with them. They deserve it.” WI @WJFjabariwill
