Restaurant Owner Running For Anne Arundel County Council

CROFTON, MD — The owner of a popular Annapolis restaurant announced Friday that he will run for Anne Arundel County Council.

Crofton resident Spencer Jones, owner of Chick & Ruth's Delly, is running in District 7 as a Democrat in the 2026 election. Shannon Leadbetter, a Republican, announced in late August that she won't seek re-election in the district that covers Crofton and southern Anne Arundel County.

Jones' priorities are lowering the cost of living, supporting public safety and cutting bureaucratic red tape.

The 27-year-old wants to preserve the green space in South County while adding housing in already dense areas. He pointed to the Odenton train station and the Annapolis Town Center, both outside his district, as places the county should prioritize development.

"The median home price in the county is half a million dollars, and that's not sustainable," said Jones, who will be 28 on Election Day.

Jones believes the core function of local government is ensuring public safety.

"Making sure our police department, our sheriff's office, our firefighters have the staff that they need, the resources that they need to do their jobs is important to me," Jones told Patch in an exclusive interview.

Another goal is simplifying the permitting process for commercial and residential construction. Jones thinks owning a small business gives him an inside scoop on permitting challenges.

"It should not take months and months and months to get permits or approvals to do some of these small things," Jones said. "I live it. I have to deal with it, and so I know where the pain points are."

Chick & Ruth's celebrated its 60th anniversary in August. Charles "Chick" Levitt opened the business with his wife, Ruth Levitt.

The Levitt family sold the restaurant in fall 2017 to Jones' father, who died in January 2021 at age 58. Jones inherited the restaurant from his dad and now serves as the eatery's president.

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Jones had been planning to run for elected office for some time. Leadbetter, announcing that she won't seek a second term, opened a window of opportunity.

"Her not running did change the calculus a little bit," Jones said. "It's easier when you're not running against an incumbent."

Jones, who studied statistics at Virginia Tech, now hopes to represent one of the county's most unique districts. The district has a heavy Democratic base in Crofton and covers the entirety of South County, a rural area that is mostly Republican.

Despite the diversity of the district, Jones thinks most residents want the same things: reasonable cost of living, strong schools and safe neighborhoods.

Jones hopes to relate to the farmers of South County as small business owners rooted in common sense.

"I'm not a farmer," Jones said. "I don't personally know a lot about farming, but one thing that's true about farmers is they're small businessmen and women. And so that's a place where we can connect."

Jones also plans to meet with South County residents directly to hear their concerns and how he can help.

"I'm a listener. That's who I am," he said.

Residents can learn more at votespencerjones.com.

Related:

• Shannon Leadbetter Won't Seek Re-Election In Anne Arundel County District 7
• Rodvien Won't Seek Re-Election To Anne Arundel County Council
• Fresh College Grad Runs For Anne Arundel County Council In District 1
• Glen Burnie High Graduate Running For County Council In District 2
• Democrat James Kitchin Running For Anne Arundel County Executive
• Pickard To Run For County Executive After Serving On Council, School Board