By Adam Pagnucco.
In the face of calls by GOP county executive candidate Esther Wells and her supporters for general election debates, Democratic nominee Will Jawando says no. His campaign manager cites two grounds for refusing to debate Wells: first, the two have already participated in forums together (which is true) and second, Jawando received many more votes in the primary than Wells (also true).
Wells challenges Jawando to debate.
Of note: In 2022, County Executive Marc Elrich held at least one general election forum with his Republican opponent, Reardon “Sully” Sullivan, which was covered by MoCo360. That said, is Jawando right to turn down Wells, who has so far raised less than $20,000 for her campaign? What do you think, readers?
Before answering that question, read the statement from Jawando’s campaign manager printed below.
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For Immediate Release September 21, 2026
Statement from Nicole Rios, Campaign Manager
Throughout this campaign, our priority has been showing up and meeting Montgomery County voters where they are. Since announcing his run for Montgomery County Executive in May 2025, Will has participated in 102 meet-and-greets, as well as more than 45 candidate forums, debates, and town halls across the county. In a crowded field of candidates, he fielded questions and outlined his agenda on core priorities like housing affordability, transit, education, public safety, and data centers. Voters have had repeated opportunities to evaluate records and compare his vision directly with his general election opponent, Esther Wells, who also participated in many of these candidate forums and debates. With that extensive record of public engagement, our campaign will not participate in any additional candidate forums before Election Day.
Our sustained community engagement delivered decisive results in the June primary. Will earned 52,744 votes out of more than 131,000 cast, building the broadest coalition of any candidate this cycle. By contrast, Esther Wells won her primary with 6,850 votes out of just 11,273 cast.
We are grateful to share that Will is recovering well from his recent heart attack and will return to the campaign trail very soon. His dedication to Montgomery County remains steadfast, and his focus is fixed on our community’s future.
This campaign is powered by a vision of a Montgomery County where every resident is seen, heard, and valued. We believe the best leadership is built through direct, everyday dialogue with voters. As Election Day approaches, our priority is to continue uniting our neighborhoods, listening to the priorities directly from our working families, and earning the trust of voters across every part of this county.
Contact: Nicole Rios
Campaign Manager
Nicole@WillJawando.com