Friedson Kicks Off Campaign For Montgomery County Executive

By William J. Ford, Maryland Matters

June 23, 2025

Andrew Friedson officially announced plans Sunday to seek the Democratic nomination for Montgomery County executive, becoming the fifth Democrat to get in the race for the June 2026 primary.

Friedson, who unofficially said he would run more than a week ago, addressed several hundred people who turned out on a hot Sunday evening in Cabin John Regional Park. Supporters touted the Montgomery County Councilmember as the only candidate to present a brighter future for the state’s largest jurisdiction, with more than 1 million people.

“When I was first getting into politics on a campaign, what really struck me is that Andrew listens. He still does, and that’s one of [his] greatest qualities,” said Marko Rivera-Oven, executive director of The Upcounty Hub, a nonprofit that operates a food pantry. “I believe that Montgomery County will be better if Andrew Friedson is our next county executive.”

Several others also praised Friedson, including former Maryland Democratic Party Chair Susan W. Turnbull, who has led several national Jewish organizations, and Sen. Majority Leader Nancy King (D-Montgomery).

Sen. Brian Feldman (D-Montgomery), who chairs the Senate Education, Energy and the Environment Committee, introduced Friedson, whom he called a “point person” on the Maryland ABLE Act, which allows Maryland families to invest money for individuals with disabilities. The act was signed into law in 2016, the same year Friedson worked as a senior policy adviser for the Maryland Comptroller’s Office.

State Sen. Brian Feldman (D-Montgomery), right, introduced Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson, left, at a kickoff for Friedson’s campaign for county executive. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters)

On a lighter note, Feldman recalled that Friedson worked in his office for one session when Friedson attended the University of Maryland, College Park. After graduating in 2008, Friedson went to graduate school at Johns Hopkins University, where he was a student in a class taught by Feldman.

“If you like him, and you’re going to support him, everything that he has done in elective office, [just] give me credit. That’s all because of me,” Feldman said to laughter from attendees.

Friedson made history in Montgomery County when he was elected in 2018 as the youngest councilmember ever, at age 32.

Prior to his work on the council, he was the interim executive director of the Maryland 529 College Savings Program and served on the Maryland Small Business Development Financing Authority in 2016 and 2017.

Friedson, now 39, said his priorties include providing affordable housing, supporting businesses and ensuring the county executive works with the public schools superintendent, "but holds the school system accountable for the public tax dollars that we spend.”

Friedson said the coalition he’s building is about family.

“We don’t win by shouting from our mountain tops as loud or more loudly than the other team is shouting from theirs,” he said. “We make the case by proving that government can work, starting at the local level and getting the little things right, so we can get trust from people that we can do the big things.”

So far, at least two of Friedson’s County Council colleagues, both members of the class of 2018, like Friedson, are seeking the Democratic nomination for county executive.

At-Large County Councilmember Evan Glass plans to use the county’s public financing option. Glass, who was the first openly LGBTQ+ member of the council when elected in 2018, would become the first as county executive, if elected.

County Council Vice President Will Jawando (D-At-Large), also elected that year to the council, has the backing of current County Executive Marc Elrich (D). Elrich’s is term limited and cannot seek a third term.

A couple hundred attend Sunday’s kick-off for Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson’s campaign for county executive. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters)

Without directly saying Friedson’s name, Elrich said at Jawando’s campaign announcement last month that residents shouldn’t support a candidate with millions of dollars from developers.

In January, Friedson already had $1 million cash on hand.

“I am extremely proud of the overwhelming support that we have received from everybody in our community, and we saw it here today at our kickoff with a diverse crowd,” Friedson said in an interview with reporters Sunday. “I’m not focused on what other people are saying. I’m not focused on the attacks. I’m running on my record and other people should run on theirs.”

At least two other candidates have announced bids or officially filed paperwork to seek the Democratic nomination in the June 2026 primary election.

Celeste Iroha, a registered medical assistant, was the first person to announce in March, according to Bethesda Today. Another candidate seeking the Democratic nomination is Mithun Banerjee, a landlord from Silver Spring who filed his candidacy last month.

As of Friday, Iroha and Banerjee were the only two people to file documentation for the seat. According to the state Board of Elections, no Republicans have filed for the seat.

The candidate filing deadline is 9 p.m. Feb. 24.