Friedson bows out of Democratic primary for county executive

In message to supporters, District 1 County Councilmember says he congratulated opponent on successful campaign; mail ballot count continues Wednesday 

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June 29, 2026 11:55 a.m. | Updated: June 29, 2026 11:57 a.m.

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Andrew Friedson, the District 1 County Councilmember who centered his Democratic primary campaign for Montgomery County executive on taxes and housing policy, has bowed out of the race after Saturday’s mail-in ballot count continued to show him in second place. 

“After allowing two additional days to count the outstanding mail-in ballots to respect the process and ensure every voice is heard, it has become clear that there are not enough remaining votes to change the outcome of this election,” Friedson said in a Sunday message to supporters.  

Friedson added that he spoke with At-large Councilmember Will Jawando “to congratulate him on his successful campaign.” Jawando publicly claimed the Democratic nomination for county executive on Friday. 

At-large Councilmember Evan Glass, who also sought the Democratic nomination for county executive in the June 23 primary, conceded to Jawando on election night. 

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As of Monday morning, unofficial results from the Maryland State Board of Elections showed Jawando in the lead with 40.1% of the vote. Friedson was second with 34.1%, followed by Glass with 22%.  

As of Sunday at 8 p.m., there were still 21,181 mail-in ballots from Montgomery County voters left to be counted, according to the state elections board. The majority of the remaining ballots are from Democrats, who outnumber Republicans 4-1 in the county.  

There were also about 5,000 provisional ballots cast during the primary election. Election officials will start counting provisional ballots on Wednesday, according to the state board. 

Friedson, who grew up in Potomac and lives in Bethesda, won election to the council in 2018. He was re-elected in 2024 while serving as council president — the youngest in county history. He chairs the council’s Planning, Housing and Parks committee. 

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On the council and on the campaign trail, Friedson has been a vocal opponent of tax increases. He has pushed to increase housing stock as a way to bring down prices, successfully spearheading legislation to allow for diverse housing types in certain residential zones and provide tax relief for developers who undertake commercial-to-residential conversion projects.  

During the council’s recent budget deliberations, Friedson was the only county executive candidate to vote against the adopted fiscal year 2027 county operating budget, which included a controversial progressive income tax plan that eliminated a tax credit for some homeowners. He seized on that vote in campaign mailers, drawing criticism from opponents of his candidacy. 

“While we have come up a little short, my belief in Montgomery County remains unshaken, and the work to make Montgomery County more affordable and economically competitive continues,” Friedson said in the statement Sunday afternoon. “Our message became the central theme of the entire public conversation, not just for our campaign, but for every campaign.” 

When he entered the county executive race last June, Friedson had less name recognition than his main opponents, both of whom have been twice elected countywide.  

The only Democrat in the race using traditional campaign financing, Friedson spent much of his war chest on advertising to boost his profile. He also benefitted from spending by a political action committee affiliated with the Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors that endorsed him for the county’s top job. 

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Friedson, like Jawando and Glass, had to forgo seeking re-election to a third term on the council to run for county executive. He will serve the remainder of his second term before the next council is sworn in during December.  

Julie Yang, a member of the county Board of Education, appears to have won the Democratic nomination for the District 1 council seat with 48.7% of her party’s vote as of Monday morning. She will face Reardon Sullivan, the past chair of the Montgomery County Republican Party, in the Nov. 3 general election. Sullivan ran unopposed for his party’s nomination. 

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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine