By Adam Pagnucco.
Council Member Andrew Friedson, who is in second term representing District 1, has announced that he is running for county executive.
Friedson’s campaign home page.
Friedson’s announcement has been long expected and sets up a titanic open seat race involving his colleagues Evan Glass and Will Jawando, both of whom are second-term at-large council members, and perhaps other heavy hitters as well. Last November, my sources picked Friedson as the person most likely to get elected. I’m not sure I would go that far as I could make an argument for the prospects of all three of them, but Friedson is a top-tier candidate. His overflowing war chest, enthusiastic business community support and popularity among District 1 constituents, Jewish residents and centrists are major assets.
Perhaps Friedson’s greatest asset is that he has a clear policy agenda. He is the county’s primary leader on economic development issues. He is a strong proponent of building more housing. He is skeptical of tax increases. He dislikes the county’s rent control law (which he voted against) because it has resulted in redlining by the national real estate community. He has spoken out against problems in government like the county’s mismanagement of grants, MCPS’s electric bus contract and MCPS’s accountability lapses. He is also a staunch opponent of antisemitism and blasted CASA’s comments on Israel in 2023.
Friedson may or may not be your guy, but at least everyone will understand the direction in which he will lead the county if he is elected.
Friedson’s press release is reprinted below.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: John Block
Email: john@andrewfriedson.com
Website: www.andrewfriedson.com
June 11, 2025
Councilmember Andrew Friedson Launches Campaign for County Executive to Make Montgomery County Affordable For All
Friedson pledges to make the county more affordable, increase economic opportunity, and stand up for our people and values against federal attacks
Bethesda, MD — Montgomery County Councilmember and former Council President Andrew Friedson announced today that he is launching his campaign for Montgomery County Executive. As a former Council President, Friedson brings a proven record of bringing people together to get big things done. In his work on the Council and in the community, he has seen that life is getting harder and too expensive for too many families. He’ll focus on making Montgomery County more affordable, increasing economic opportunity for all, and standing up to protect the county from the Trump Administration’s ruthless attacks on our federal workers, contractors, and values.
“As someone who was born and raised here, I know the enormous promise of Montgomery County — but our economy is unacceptably stagnant, housing prices are out of control, and families are getting priced out,” said Friedson. “We can once again make Montgomery County a place that leads the region in economic growth, provides our students with a world-class education, and is accessible and welcoming to all. But it will take someone with a proven record and a pragmatic approach to get us back on track. This campaign is a fight for our community’s future to make Montgomery County affordable for families to live and attractive for businesses to invest.”
Since his election as the youngest Councilmember and youngest Council President in Montgomery County history, Friedson has emerged as a leading voice for fiscal responsibility and a pragmatic problem-solver who has turned progressive values into tangible results that improves people’s lives. He authored the largest economic development package in the county’s history, established a nationally-recognized effort to produce more affordable housing, co-authored the largest climate investment in county history, and led the fight to stop property tax and income tax increases to protect affordability for families. His effective efforts have spanned housing affordability, economic development, transit-oriented land-use, public safety, environmental sustainability, fiscal oversight and ethics reform – while funding public schools at record levels and increasing transparency and accountability in the school system. Friedson has also worked closely with community leaders, small businesses, labor partners, and faith-based organizations to deliver responsive and equitable policies and programs.
“Montgomery County has unparalleled assets and unrivaled talent but we’ve lacked the urgency, intentionality, and follow-through to capitalize on them in a way that our community expects and deserves,” said Friedson. “With the Trump administration’s attack on federal workers and their destructive policies that are leading to growing economic uncertainty and higher costs, it’s more critical than ever that we unite our community rather than divide it to create jobs and opportunities, lower housing costs, hold the line on taxes, and stand up for our shared values.”
Councilmember Friedson is inviting supporters, community stakeholders, and media to attend a grassroots kickoff event on June 22. For more information, to RSVP for the campaign kickoff event, or to get involved in the campaign, please visit www.andrewfriedson.com or follow the campaign on social media at facebook.com/andrewfriedson and x.com/amfriedson.
About Andrew Friedson
Andrew Friedson is currently serving his second term on the Montgomery County Council where he chairs the Planning, Housing, and Parks Committee, serves on the Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee, and served as Council President in 2023-2024. He is Chair of the Council of Government’s Food and Agriculture (FARM) Policy Committee. A lifelong Montgomery County resident and proud Democrat, Friedson previously served as a senior policy advisor in the Maryland State Comptroller’s Offi ce. At the state level, he served as Board Member and Interim Executive Director of Maryland’s 529 College Savings Program and helped launch Maryland’s ABLE disability savings program. Dedicating his career to building competent and effective government that listens, delivers, and serves the public, he also previously served on the Maryland Small Business Development Financing Authority and as Chair of the Montgomery County Collaboration Council for Children, Youth, and Families.