By Adam Pagnucco.
It’s an ancient school of thought in MoCo politics: run to the left and win. Given the local dominance of Democratic voters and progressive interest groups, that strategy often works in our elections. But how do you stick the landing and convince folks that you’re THE progressive in your race?
That question is on the minds of Council Members Will Jawando and Evan Glass, both of whom are running for county executive. Consider these tactics.
First up is Jawando. Following is a text he sent out last weekend.
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It’s time for Montgomery County to fight back.
Yesterday, the Supreme Court gave Trump MULTIPLE wins. They let him attack birthright citizenship, moved to defund Planned Parenthood, and even ruled 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 Montgomery County Public Schools.
This is why local leadership matters now more than ever. 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝘂𝘀, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘂𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲.
In Montgomery County, we VALUE our immigrant families, believe WOMEN’S RIGHTS are HUMAN RIGHTS, and SUPPORT our public schools.
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽.
My name is Will Jawando. 𝗜’𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗴𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱. It’s a statement that our community does not adhere to the politics of Donald Trump — we stand for equality, decency, and justice instead.
Monday is my end-of-month fundraising deadline, and 𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟬𝟬 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗿𝘀 to hit my goal.
I’m also proudly participating in the Public Matching Program (because we should get big $$ out of politics!) which means 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 $𝟱 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝟳𝘅!
Can I count on you to rush a donation of just $5 or more today?
JOIN OUR MOVEMENT >> wjmd.org/x7?t=mCj2Om
Will Jawando
(This is really from me, and I promise not to text very often! But if you want to opt out of future texts, just reply STOP)
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See how Jawando said that he was “the progressive running for Montgomery County Executive?” He didn’t say he was “a” progressive, but rather that he was “the” progressive. In MoCo, those are fighting words!
Here’s a fellow who would raise an objection to that thought: Evan Glass. This is his Facebook ad denouncing Fox News’s attack on him for defending LGBTQ+ people.
This is going to be one of the main themes of this election: the contest between Jawando and Glass to be seen as the progressive standard bearer. They’re both good politicians who will have all of the money they need to get their messages out, so get your popcorn. In the end, external validators – especially the teachers union – may decide this, particularly if they coalesce around one or the other.
As for fellow candidate Council Member Andrew Friedson, he has to love this. Friedson – who just announced an endorsement from 2018 and 2022 county executive candidate David Blair – has the center-left lane all to himself, at least for the moment. It’s in his interest to have neither Jawando nor Glass monopolize the progressive lane, thereby providing an easier path for Friedson to win.
You just have to love MoCo politics!