Three of the four legislators representing Montgomery County’s District 17 in the Maryland General Assembly are running for re-election in 2026 and the fourth will seek his first full term, the team announced in a press release Tuesday.
The team, which includes Sen. Cheryl Kagan, Del. Julie Palakovich Carr, Del. Joe Vogel and Del. Ryan Spiegel – all Democrats – represents parts of Rockville and Gaithersburg in the state legislature. Kagan, Palakovich Carr and Vogel are incumbents; Spiegel was appointed to his seat in 2023.
“The four incumbent legislators are pragmatic progressive Democrats, dedicated to advocating for reproductive rights, gun safety, climate solutions, effective public schools, housing affordability, civil rights, and economic development,” the Tuesday morning release issued by Kagan said. “They will continue to speak out against the cruel, short-sighted, and extreme policies and actions of the Trump Administration.”
Kagan, 63, has served in the Senate since 2015, following a stint in the House of Delegates from 1995 to 2003. She currently serves as vice chair of the Senate Education, Energy and the Environment Committee. A Rockville resident, her notable legislation has included consumer protection efforts and emergency response improvements.
Palakovich Carr, 42, was elected to the House of Delegates in 2018. She currently chairs the Montgomery County House delegation and is a deputy majority whip. Palakovich Carr, who lives in Rockville, has focused many of her legislative efforts on road and pedestrian safety as well as child care access and child safety. She chairs the Early Childhood Subcommittee on the House Ways and Means Committee.
Vogel, 28, was elected to the legislature in 2022 and made national headlines at the time for being one of two Gen Z delegates joining the General Assembly. He unsuccessfully ran for the Democratic nomination for Maryland Congressional District 6 in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2024, bested by Potomac’s April McClain Delaney. He serves on the House Ways and Means Committee. A Gaithersburg resident, his notable legislation includes the creation of a state hate crimes commission and bills addressing fentanyl overdose treatment.
Vogel released his own campaign video on social media Tuesday morning announcing his run for re-election.
“I’m proud of what we’ve been able to achieve, and more importantly, how we’ve been able to do it,” Vogel said in the video. “The new generation of leadership we want … is about all of us.”
Spiegel, 46, is the newest member of the District 17 legislative team. He was appointed to his seat in 2023 by the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee, filling a seat vacated by former legislator Kumar Barve, who had taken a job in Gov. Wes Moore’s (D) administration. Spiegel, a partner at Thompson Hine LLP business law firm in Washington, D.C., served on the Gaithersburg City Council prior to his appointment. He serves on the House Appropriations Committee. “I’m proud to have one of the strongest delegations in the State, but as our D-17 team fights to protect Md. from the cruel & destructive Trump administration & to responsibly invest in education, climate action, civil rights, & more, we need your help!” Spiegel said in a social media post Tuesday promoting his campaign fundraising page.
The primary election is scheduled to take place June 23, 2026, and the general election will be held Nov. 3, 2026. The filing period for candidates opened Feb. 25 and ends Feb. 25, 2026.
