Updated at 12:55 p.m. to add quotes from an interview with Jawando.
Montgomery County Councilmember Will Jawando (D-At-large) announced Tuesday that he would be running for Sen. Ben Cardin’s (D-Md.) seat.
Jawando sent an email to supporters Tuesday morning, a day after Cardin said publicly that he would not be running for reelection in 2024.
In an interview Tuesday, Jawando said he decided to run because he wants to help all Marylanders thrive.
“It’s all about pushing back against what I call this big lie – that if my neighbor does well, I can’t do well. I reject that,” Jawando said. “I’ve been working hard on the council on policies that I think will work well at the federal level, like guaranteed income, criminal justice reform, building more affordable housing, keeping people stable in their homes, supporting education. So I think it’s just a natural extension of the work I’ve been doing.”
When asked how he plans to compete against a field that is speculated to be stacked with experienced candidates, Jawando said he believes his Montgomery County support gives him a good foundation.
“I represent over 1 million of the 6 million in the state. I’ve been a top vote getter,” he said. “I also have a record of achievement that I’m very proud of that is about pushing back against this zero-sum game thinking. And I think what voters want is a candidate with a positive message, with a bold vision, with demonstrated leadership in those areas. This is going to be a race where I go to every corner of the state to talk about what I’ve done here, and I have the resources to do that.”
Jawando also cited his experience working for former President Barack Obama when he represented Illinois in the Senate, and working for U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio).
Jawando did not share whether he would consider running for U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin’s (D-Dist. 8) seat if Raskin chose to also run for Cardin’s seat, but shared his support for Raskin’s work in the Congress and congratulated him on completing chemotherapy last week.
Jerome Segal, a Democrat who challenged Cardin in 2018, also announced Tuesday morning that he would be running for Cardin’s seat. Robin Ficker, a Republican, announced in December that he’d also be vying for the seat. Other potential candidates rumored to be interested include Rep. David Trone (D-Dist. 6) and Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Dist. 8).
Jawando’s Tuesday morning email contained a video announcement.
