With the 2026 Montgomery County Executive elections inbound in a year, campaign endorsements have begun to flow.
County Executive Candidate Friedson
On Friday, July 11, The International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) Local 1664, which represents Montgomery County’s career firefighters and paramedics, announced their early endorsement of Councilmember Andrew Friedson for County Executive. This is the first labor endorsement of the 2026 Montgomery County Executive race.
“We need a County Executive committed to prioritizing initiatives that modernize our fire and rescue services while significantly improving the working conditions for our firefighters and paramedics,” said Local 1664 President Jeff Buddle. “We are confident Andrew will champion forward-thinking policies that safeguard the health, safety, and well-being of our members and the communities we very proudly serve.”
In a press release, Andrew Friedson stated, “I am deeply honored to receive the endorsement of Montgomery County’s career firefighters,”
David Blair who narrowly lost his bid for County Executive in two recent elections also endorsed Friedson. He cited Friedson’s “…courage to make difficult decisions in office, regardless of the optics” in an interview with Bethesda Magazine.
Friedson is also endorsed by State Senators Brian Feldman, Sara Love, Majority Leader Nancy King and Craig Zucker.
Team Glass Gathers Momentum
Days later, on Monday, July 14, Councilmember Evan Glass received two major endorsements for his campaign for county executive. Tom Perez, former U.S. Secretary of Labor, endorsed Glass, stating, “Evan Glass is the effective, progressive leader we need right now to fight against the extreme agenda in Washington that is hurting our community and our country.”
Perez served on the Montgomery County Council from 2002 to 2006. He later became Secretary of Labor under Barack Obama and served as senior advisor to Joe Biden and the director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.
“I’ve been consistently impressed by Evan’s record of getting bold things done and his inclusive leadership style. His ability to work with community members, labor organizers and business leaders means that everyone will have a seat at the table,” Perez said.
Additionally, David Trone voiced support for Evan Glass’ campaign. Trone is a former U.S. representative of Maryland’s 6th Congressional district who served as a Democrat in Congress from 2019 to 2025. Additionally, he is the founder and co-owner of Total Wine & More, the largest alcohol retailer in the United States with 250 stores. The company is headquartered in North Bethesda and employs 12,000 team members in 30 states. He also supported Aisha Braveboy in the 2025 Prince George’s County executive special election.
“Evan is the only candidate for County Executive who has demonstrated an ability to support businesses of all sizes while strengthening workers’ rights,” stated Trone. “With his independent style of leadership, his honesty and his temperament, I know Evan will bring Montgomery County together to get big things done. That’s the kind of leadership we need.”
In a press release, Glass stated, ““Secretary Perez and Congressman Trone know how to make government work for Marylanders and they understand that Montgomery County is at a critical crossroads. I’m so proud to have them join our campaign focused on economic competitiveness, providing students and educators with the resources they need to succeed, and protecting our diverse community –– all of which is under threat by Donald Trump,”
Council Veep Jawando Drops Some Names
On the same day, the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) endorsed Councilmember Will Jawando. LIUNA represents construction and sanitation workers through the Philadelphia/Baltimore/Washington Laborers’ District Council (PBWLDC).
“Council Vice President Jawando was a lead sponsor on County Council Bill 35-21, which updated the county’s prevailing wage ordinance and included modifications critical to LIUNA and its contractors,” said PBWLDC Business Manager Ryan Boyer, Sr.
County Executive Marc Elrich has also voiced support for Jawando; Elrich appeared at Jawando’s campaign announcement on May 23. Elrich highlighted Jawando’s independence, stating, “You cannot elect the county executive who already has millions of dollars from developers.”
