With just under three weeks left to file for the County Council seat left vacant by the death of Marilyn J. Praisner, candidates, including her widower, are hoping to convince voters in a short period of time that they are best choice to carry on her legacy.
Praisner was in the midst of her fifth term when she died Feb. 1 after complications from heart surgery. Her absence left Councilman Philip M. Andrews (D-Dist. 3) of Gaithersburg as the council’s most senior member, in his third term. Unlike other areas of the county with changing representation, Praisner became a fixture for her district.
‘‘Marilyn was so prominent in the district that there weren’t a lot of other people out there being groomed because we all figured that she would go on for another 10 years,” said Stuart Rochester, a civic activist and chairman of the Fairland Master Plan Citizens Committee.
Groomed or not, a variety of candidates ranging from a civic activist, a school board member, a state delegate, a lawyer and a marketing analyst have either formally filed or at least expressed interest in filling the seat.
Joining them this week was Donald E. Praisner, who announced his candidacy on the steps of the County Council office in Rockville with the backing of several council members and County Executive Isiah Leggett (D). Like his wife, he is running as a Democrat.
‘‘Marilyn recognized the serious challenges ahead on growth, the budget, Intercounty Connector construction, the environment, code enforcement and development in the district,” Donald Praisner said during his announcement. ‘‘Because I share that same vision, I am deeply committed to carrying on Marilyn’s good work.”
If elected, Donald, 76, a CIA veteran like his wife, said he would only like to serve the remainder of his wife’s term, which expires in 2010, and not run for re-election. His supporters, including Leggett, say he is the best choice for voters right now.
‘‘This is simply for the remainder of her term. This will give the district time to determine in the long run what kind of representation they want. ... In Don you can get someone with experience and expertise now,” Leggett said.
But Donald Praisner will have a strong challenge from school board President Nancy Navarro.
‘‘I obviously have been on the record for Marilyn’s legacy and contribution to the district,” Navarro said. ‘‘This is a district dealing with a host of issues that are front and center affecting parents, workers and immigrants. That’s what’s motivating me to run.
Navarro said her work on the school board has given her a ‘‘sharp lens” on the issues and the motivation to make the leap between the two legislative bodies, which Praisner did after many years on the school board.
One challenge for Navarro could be overcoming perception.
‘‘I’m finding that although there is a good deal of respect for Navarro, there is a concern that she is identified, fairly or not, with the pro-business and pro-development forces in the county,” Rochester said. ‘‘For that reason she may not be relied on to carry on the positions that Marilyn had.”
Also in play could be a bid for the seat from Del. Benjamin F. Kramer, a community resident with legislative experience and expertise.
This week Kramer (D-Dist. 19) of Derwood said he was ‘‘giving it some thought” and ‘‘looking at it very closely.”
‘‘There’s so much going on [in Annapolis],” he said. ‘‘I don’t want to detract from what I’m doing here.”
Kramer met with community groups over the weekend and said he would make a decision before the March 24 deadline. The delegate ran unsuccessfully for the council in 1994 and 1998.
Facing all the candidates is a changing district in the eastern part of the county that includes parts of Burtonsville, Silver Spring Cloverly, Colesville, Wheaton, Olney and Sandy Spring.
Also running are Democrats Steve Kanstoroom of Ashton and Patrick Ryan of Silver Spring, and Republican Mark D. Fennel, also of Silver Spring.
The area is varied, with new schools, such as Galway Elementary, being built, but also many of the county’s elderly residents in Leisure World. The district includes a large proportion of the county’s poorer residents and contingents of immigrant populations. Of concern to community members have been issues of growth and development as well as the continuing construction of the ICC.
‘‘The amount of behind-the-scenes activity that’s taking place is an indication of how important the decision is who succeeds Marilyn considering the makeup of the council,” Rochester said. ‘‘This seat is extremely important in terms of maintaining a slim balance of power that favored slow growth. The people in district recognize the stakes.”
To maintain what some in the county have called a mandate on slow growth, which occurred with the council election of four new members in 2006, candidate Cary Lamari withdrew his name for consideration in the District 4 race.
Lamari ran for an at-large seat on the council two years ago, and said this year was not his time.
‘‘I wanted to go forward, but I kept reading articles in the paper about the council and I came to the realization that we needed someone with name recognition right now who could carry on Marilyn’s legacy.”
Lamari has already talked to Donald Praisner about running for the seat in 2010 and said he will seek his endorsement.
While Praisner has the support of several council members, some are staying out of the fray.
‘‘I have not endorsed anyone,” said Councilman George L. Leventhal (D-At large) of Takoma Park. ‘‘I don’t think the voters of [District 4] need me to tell them what to do. There is often a backlash when elected officials get too bossy. My job is to do the best I can in the job that I’m in.”
Like Leventhal, Council President Michael J. Knapp (D-Dist. 2) of Germantown is not endorsing anyone in the race, and generally does not endorse in council races, he said.
For Leggett his involvement is personal.
‘‘It’s my district, it’s an important office and I think Don is immensely qualified for the job,” he said. ‘‘Marilyn and the Praisner family have been personal friends of mine.”
Staff Writer Sean R. Sedam contributed to this report.
District 4 Special Election deadlines
March 24: Deadline for candidates to file with the county’s Board of Elections
March 25: Voter registration deadline for residents voting in the Dist. 4 election. Voter applications may be obtained at the BOE, by calling 240-777-VOTE until March 18, or online at www.777vote.org or www.montgomerycountymd.gov⁄elections
April 15: Primary Election, election judges are still needed
For more information, call 240-777-8533.
