Potomac businessman David Blair is expected to announce his candidacy for Montgomery County executive this weekend, sources told Bethesda Beat.
Blair is scheduling interviews with local news organizations on Sunday, but isn’t announcing anything until then, spokesman Jake Lynn said.
Blair previously told Bethesda Beat in October that he was “highly likely” to seek the Democratic nomination for county executive. He said at the time that he planned to make a formal announcement within the next month.
On Oct. 20, Blair opened a campaign finance committee with the Maryland Board of Elections to allow him to begin fundraising for the campaign.
On Oct. 4, Larry Rosenblum, who was County Executive Ike Leggett’s longtime campaign treasurer, introduced Blair at a Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce event “as our next county executive.”
Blair, a Democrat, has not held elected office previously. He did not respond to requests for comment Friday.
Blair, 48, was chief executive of Rockville-based Catalyst Health Solutions, a publicly held firm, when it was sold for $4.4 billion. Blair reportedly made $16 million from the deal.
Since then, he’s been involved in other health care ventures and is a partner in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Washington Wizards and Capitals.
Blair’s entry into the county executive field would bring the total number of Democrats running up to six.
The other candidates are County Council members Roger Berliner, Marc Elrich and George Leventhal; state Del. Bill Frick; and former Rockville Mayor Rose Krasnow.
Attorney Robin Ficker is the only Republican in the race.
The 2018 primaries will be held on June 26. The general election will be on Nov. 6.
