By Adam Pagnucco.
After his loss to County Executive Marc Elrich in the 2022 general election, Republican businessman Reardon “Sully” Sullivan got back to work. He established a ballot issue committee to lower term limits for the executive from three to two, which would make Elrich ineligible for another term, and began gathering signatures last year. So how is that going?
According to the committee’s new campaign finance report, perhaps not well.
Sullivan (at left) gathers signatures at the county fair in August.
The screenshot below summarizes the financial condition of the ballot issue committee. Since it was established on 3/26/23, it has raised $1,900 and spent $362.80. It also has debts of $8,249.42. Debts can be forgiven, but technically, this is a state of insolvency.
Of the $1,900 raised, $1,100 came from Sullivan. And of the debt, $7,807.98 is owed to Sullivan for online advertising, software, mail box rental, printing and other expenses. (The rest is owed to the committee’s treasurer.) From a financial perspective, this has been virtually a one-man show. And it’s a far cry from the six-digit budget possessed by the 2020 ballot committee to establish nine council districts.
This supplements observations from my source network who claim that Sullivan’s committee has not been actively gathering signatures for months. That plus these finances will cause many to assume that the term limits effort will fail, thereby allowing Elrich to run again. He has said he intends to do so.
But. There is still a lot of time left. The term limits committee has until August to deliver 10,000 valid ballot signatures to the county. There is plenty of time to raise money and get back on the streets. No one should assume that the fate of this effort is determined one way or the other.
And make no mistake – whether or not term limits are changed will have a huge impact on the 2026 county elections. If Sullivan fails, Elrich will likely run for another term, and as the incumbent, he will go in as the favorite. But if Sullivan succeeds, the seat will be open and draw in several formidable contenders, including from the county council. And that will open up those council seats for competition. These are two different political worlds, and which of them will emerge depends largely on Sullivan and his supporters in the Republican Party. (Progressives and Democrats, imagine that?)
We will all be watching.