Seven candidates, one stage: County executive hopefuls make their pitch

April 16, 2026 11:52 a.m.

Montgomery County Councilmember Evan Glass speaks during a county executive candidate forum at Westland Middle School. Credit: Jacqueline Kalil

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Seven candidates vying to become Montgomery County executive — five Democrats and two Republicans — debated major issues including the county’s proposed $8 billion fiscal 2027 budget, housing affordability, planning transparency and transportation safety on Wednesday evening at a forum in Bethesda.

All seven candidates gathered at Westland Middle School in Bethesda for the forum sponsored by the Citizens Coordinating Committee on Friendship Heights, a nonpartisan coalition representing 18 neighborhoods in the Bethesda-Chevy Chase area. Bethesda Today government and politics reporter Ceoli Jacoby moderated the discussion.

Participating Democrats were County Councilmembers Andrew Friedson of District 1 and Evan Glass and Will Jawando, both at-large, Silver Spring landlord and project manager Mithun Banerjee and technology businessman Peter James. The Republican candidates were Friendship Heights attorney Shelly Skolnick and Esther Wells, a certified public accountant from Montgomery Village..

During opening statements, candidates highlighted their backgrounds and priorities.

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Friedson emphasized fiscal restraint and economic growth. “Today is tax day,” he said, noting the Internal Revenue Service’s filing deadline. “I’m the only person running… who’s consistently voted against and opposed tax increases.” He argued that the county must expand its economy to sustain services and affordability.

Glass spoke about his path into public service and the role of community. “It was my community that helped raise me,” he said, describing how local advocacy led him into government. “I’m a true believer that if you are a progressive, you have to make progress.”

Jawando highlighted his personal story and policy focus on education and housing. “It starts with listening to community members,” he said, pointing to his experience chairing the council’s Education and Culture Committee and his work on rent stabilization and youth programs.

Banerjee, a longtime county resident, has framed his campaign around systemic change. “As a common citizen… I don’t think the government is working for us anymore,” he said during the forum. “So what can I do? I said, let me change.” He proposed policies including free universal pre-kindergarten and higher taxes on millionaires, while pledging to avoid tax increases for most residents.

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Peter James, who owns a small robotics company, struck a more unconventional tone, warning about economic disruption from artificial intelligence and broader political threats. “We’re in the most difficult times,” he said, urging voters to consider nontraditional solutions.

On development and planning, several candidates stressed the need for stronger community input. Friedson, who chairs the council’s Planning, Housing and Parks committee, criticized recent efforts for falling short of meaningful engagement, saying, “It should be a meaningful dialogue … you should actually engage in that, and I don’t think that’s happening.” Jawando agreed outreach often feels “too far on the … performative side,” suggesting clearer accountability for how public feedback shapes decisions.

Transportation safety — particularly the rollout of bike lanes in the county — also sparked discussion. Glass, who chairs the council’s Transportation and Environment Committee, pointed to the human toll behind the impetus for improving road safety. “Last year, there were 678 Montgomery County residents … who were hit while walking or biking,” he said. “If we don’t want that to be a continuing number, we need to change how we build.”

Friedson added that infrastructure changes are too often reactive. “We’re responding to tragedies and not preventing tragedies,” he said, referencing recent fatal accidents that prompted road redesign.

Housing policy drew contrasting views, especially around rent stabilization and development.

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Friedson argued that rent stabilization has slowed housing production, pointing to a drop in permitting as evidence, while Jawando pushed back, rejecting the notion that development has stalled. “Don’t buy into that ‘there’s not housing happening,’” Jawando said. “There’s things that are in the pipeline, and there’s things that have started to be approved again. What we got to get away from is greed from developers.”

The forum also included audience-submitted questions, which reflected concerns about transparency, growth and quality of life across the county.

Closing the event, candidates made final appeals to voters. Banerjee urged residents to consider their financial realities, asking “Are you better off today than you were seven or eight years back?” Friedson focused on the county’s long-term trajectory, saying he worries whether future generations will have the same opportunities. “I think that’s at risk right now,” he said.

Banerjee urged residents to consider their financial realities, asking “Are you better off today than you were seven or eight years back?”

With Democrats holding a significant voter registration advantage in Montgomery County, the Democratic primary is widely viewed as decisive. Still, Skolnick and Wells are campaigning in the Republican primary and the winner will advance to the general election.

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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine