County executive primaries come with a big price tag
MoCo Democrat Andrew Friedson has raised third-highest amount among all candidates statewide
By William J. Ford - Maryland Matters & Danielle J. Brown, Maryland Matters &
Christine Condon - Maryland Matters&
Will Hammann - Maryland MattersJune 17, 2026 1:47 p.m.
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There are fewer candidates running for county executive than there were four years ago, but their campaigns have raised $4.2 million more than at the same point in 2022, for a total of $16.24 million, according to preprimary campaign finance reports.
Most of the fundraising has come in three large counties with open executive seats: Montgomery and Anne Arundel counties, where Executive Marc Elrich and Executive Steuart Pittman are term-limited, and Baltimore County, where Executive Kathy Klausmeier said she would not run for the job she was appointed to last year.
Despite a robust Democratic race to succeed Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, fundraising there is actually down from four years ago. But fundraising is up in Harford County, where Executive Bob Cassilly (R) is defending his seat against two Republican challengers.
More than a quarter of the state’s $16.24 million raised in county executive races came in Montgomery County, where the five Democrats and two Republicans in the race reported pulling in a total of $4.52 million as of their last report.
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Money in Montgomery
Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson (D) has raised almost $2.4 million, the third-highest amount among all state office candidates in Maryland, trailing only Gov. Wes Moore (D) and Comptroller Brooke Lierman (D).
Friedson’s campaign is not limited in its fundraising because he is not accepting public funding, as two of his leading opponents are. Critics have charged that most of Friedson’s major contributions are coming from developers, but Friedson invites them to look at his campaign report.
It included contributions from teachers, nonprofit executives and small business owners. Other donors who contributed at least $6,000 included Anthony Cerveny, chief operating officer at Glenstone Museum in Potomac; Jack Bankowsky, a curator and art critic of New York City; and Michael Epstein, president of Willow Asset Management.
“We’re being attacked because we’re doing well. If we weren’t doing well … then they wouldn’t be attacking us,” Friedson said.
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He was endorsed by several Montgomery County Democrats when he announced his county executive bid last year, including Senate Majority Leader Nancy King and Sen. Brian Feldman. Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D-Montgomery) endorsed Friedson last month.
“We are building our support every single day. The momentum is clearly behind us. We have the broadest coalition of anybody in the race,” Friedson said. “Our momentum is hitting at the right time, at the most important moment as we enter this final month and a few days before Election Day.”
The next-biggest fundraiser in the county executive race is fellow Democratic County Councilmember Will Jawando, who reported raising slightly more than $1.2 million in his last report.
Because Jawando is accepting public financing for his campaign, it cannot accept donations above $500 and claim up to $870,000 in an election cycle.
According to Jawando’s campaign report, he’s received several contributions of up t0 $500 from retirees, small business owners and attorneys. Jawando also has backing from elected officials, including Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-7th) and state Treasurer Dereck Davis (D).
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The campaign said in a statement last month that it had received about 3,165 individual contributions, more than any other candidate in the race.
“Today’s filing shows what a real grassroots Democratic campaign looks like: 1,800 Montgomery County neighbors, giving what they can, because they believe in what we’re building together,” Jawando said in the statement.
Another Democratic County Councilmember accepting public financing, Evan Glass, reported raising just under $1 million, which his campaign said includes $220,000 from more than 2,500 individual donations and 95% coming from county residents. His campaign said it had received nearly $736,551 in public matching funds and was awaiting another $80,602.
As with Friedson and Jawando, Glass has received contributions from retirees and other workers. But two donations of $500 came from former Rep. David Trone and his wife, June. Besides Trone, who’s currently seeking the Democratic nomination for the 6th Congressional district, Glass also has support from former U.S. Labor Secretary Tom Perez, state Sen. William C. Smith Jr. (D-Montgomery) and Montgomery County Dels. Bonnie Cullison and Lesley Lopez.
“Money can’t buy this kind of grassroots momentum,” Glass said in a statement. “This campaign is powered by people — not special interests. Our vision to make housing more affordable, strengthen our schools, and protect our neighbors is resonating in every corner of the county. We’re running hard and closing strong in these final weeks of the campaign.”
Glass’ campaign said it had almost $514,977 cash on hand as of this week. Friedson reported having about $232,814 cash on hand to Jawando’s $763,675.
and have all released campaign videos touting their reasons they should be chosen as the county’s next leader.
There are two other Democratic candidates in the race. Mithun Banerjee has raised less than $1,000 and Peter James only filed an affidavit Feb. 24 that he had established a public finance committee.
Republican candidate Esther Wells raised almost $7,500 and had about $3,200 cash on hand. The other GOP candidate, Shelly Skolnick, reported about $1,000 in a campaign filing from January.
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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine