Sen. Jeff Waldstreicher (D) announced Thursday he is running for re-election to his seat in the Maryland General Assembly in the November 2026 general election.
Waldstreicher, 45, represents parts of Silver Spring, Chevy Chase and Kensington in the Maryland Senate and is vice chair of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. He was elected to the Senate in 2018 and is serving his second four-year term. He was a member of the House of Delegates from 2007 until he became a senator in 2019. He lives in Silver Spring.
“In the Senate, I’ll fight to lower everyday costs for my constituents, stand up to the lawless Trump Administration, and pass common-sense gun safety legislation,” Waldstreicher wrote in a statement.
Waldstreicher also announced a list of endorsements from fellow state Democratic leaders, including Gov. Wes Moore, U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.), Attorney General Anthony Brown, U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Dist. 8) and U.S. Rep. April McClain Delaney (D-Dist. 6.).
Friedson announces endorsements
Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson (D-Dist. 1) released a list of endorsements from Maryland state senators Wednesday, a week after he announced his run for county executive.
Sens. Brian Feldman (D-Dist. 15), Nancy King (D-Dist. 39), Sara Love (D-Dist. 16) and Craig Zucker (D-Dist. 14) all announced endorsements of Friedson on Wednesday.
“I am deeply honored to have the support of these respected leaders,” Friedson, who lives in Bethesda, said in a statement. “Their continued partnership and trust is humbling and energizing as we work together to make our county more affordable, ensure educational outcomes for every student, and create new economic opportunities for every family.”
Friedson, 39, is running to replace County Executive Marc Elrich (D), who is facing his final two years in office after voters passed a term-limit referendum in November that amends the county charter to restrict the county executive to serving two terms. Elrich is serving the second year of his second four-year term, which will end in 2026.
Other candidates in the 2026 race include councilmembers Evan Glass (D-At-large) and Will Jawando (D-At-large) and registered medical assistant Celeste Iroha and businessman Mithun Banerjee, both of Silver Spring.
The race is heating up as endorsements are made. Jawando’s announcement of his campaign was accompanied by an endorsement from County Executive Marc Elrich (D).
Friedson’s campaign will host a kickoff event at 5 p.m. Sunday at Cabin John Regional Park in Bethesda.
Ahmad joins District 16 delegate race
Tazeen Ahmad, former president of the Montgomery County Women’s Democratic Club, announced this week she is running for a delegate seat in the General Assembly representing District 16.
Ahmad, 61, is the chief financial officer at Capitol Hill Consulting Group, a Washington, D.C.-based government relations firm. She served as president of the Montgomery County Women’s Democratic Club for two years, from 2023 to 2025. In November 2024, she was appointed by Moore to the Maryland Commission for Women.
“The Trump Administration’s reckless federal policies threaten our economic stability, civil
liberties, public education, access to healthcare, and environmental protections,” Ahmad said in a statement. “If Maryland can no longer count on a stable federal government, we must build a strong, self-reliant state economy that supports Marylanders — no matter who is in the White House.”
Ahmad also announced a list of endorsements, including former Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett (D).
District 16 includes the Bethesda area. Two District 16 Democratic representatives, Sen. Sara Love and Del. Marc Korman, filed to run for re-election together in March.
The other two members of the District 16 legislative delegation are Democratic Dels. Sarah Wolek and Teresa Woorman. Wolek and Woorman were appointed to their seats by the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee (MCDCC) through the legislative vacancy process and are both running for a full term. Neither delegate has confirmed nor denied a run for re-election.
