Johnson and Baker will square off in Prince George’s executive race

Unlike four years ago, only two Democrats are in the mix for the top job; a number of incumbents have no challengers

Friday, July 7, 2006

Prince County Executive Jack B. Johnson came away with one challenger after Monday’s primary election filing deadline, while a few county officials got a free pass to re-election.

County Council members Thomas E. Dernoga (D-Dist. 1), Camille Exum (D-Dist. 7) and Tony Knotts (D-Dist. 8) and State’s Attorney Glenn F. Ivey (D) will run unopposed in the Sept. 12 Democratic primary.

In the race for county executive, former state delegate Rushern L. Baker III remains Johnson’s only Democratic challenger. Baker’s chief campaign theme is hitting Johnson on the county’s high crime rate. Baker plans to air a second commercial shortly. Still, Johnson’s fund-raising continues to outpace Baker’s.

‘‘Jack has a formidable grassroots organization, and it’s going to take a lot of money and a lot of name recognition to beat that,” said Del. Justin D. Ross (D-Dist. 22) of Greenbelt.

Johnson (D) plans to announce his candidacy on July 12 at Camelot of Upper Marlboro, signaling the beginning of what may be a bitter campaign.

Johnson’s chief of staff Michael Herman said the incumbent will focus on his effort to improve the quality of life in Prince George’s.

‘‘We know that a lot of people are very interested in getting involved with this tide,” Herman said.

Baker remains confident.

‘‘This is a critical stage in Prince George’s County,” Baker said as he filed for the seat a few weeks ago. ‘‘If people listen to us, we’ll win this.”

Candidates have until July 12 to withdraw.

Among the County Council races, Marilynn M. Bland (D-Dist. 9) of Clinton, the most heavily opposed incumbent, has five opponents.

They include a minister, a landlord, a former police officer, a political consultant and a former planning commissioner, who generally accuse her of being disengaged.

‘‘Everybody is saying we need a change, that the incumbent is not in touch,” said candidate James ‘‘Fred” Harley, former Planning Board commissioner.

Her opponents admit that Bland, who used to serve on the last elected school board, has tried to be more visible. Bland last month pushed through the formation of a 35-student Youth Commission, which would advise the county on matters related to their peers. She could not be reached for comment.

But the name of the game is confidence in District 9, which represents the southern part of the county and is geographically the largest district.

Wanda White, a real estate investor and substitute teacher, usually refers to herself publicly as the district’s next county councilwoman.

And Keith Washington, a former police officer and deputy director of the county’s Office of Homeland Security, said it’s really a two-person race — ‘‘between Keith Washington and Marilynn Bland.”

‘‘A vote for anyone else is probably a vote for Marilynn Bland,” he said.

Observers have noted that despite Bland’s shaky relationship with her constituency, the wide field of candidates could severely dilute the vote, which could translate to the incumbent’s advantage.

Bland is the only council member on Johnson’s Vision for 2006 Slate, meaning she can tap into his large war chest.

Councilman Samuel H. Dean (D-Dist. 6) faces a challenge from Phil Lee, Kettering Civic Federation president and a vocal community activist. Lee is trying to parlay recent turmoil over the National Harbor development into a campaign issue.

‘‘People are extremely upset with this National Harbor fiasco,” he said.

The council moved last month to increase the percent of minority contracts required at the Gaylord convention center expansion at National Harbor, a move that could jeopardize the project.

‘‘This National Harbor issue is really starting to show the county as not being a county of integrity,” Lee added.

Dean has defended the revision he helped draft, saying the county can fulfill a requirement for more minority contracts.

In Districts 3 and 4, open seats have also attracted a wide field of candidates. The contest in District 3, where incumbent Thomas Hendershot is term-limited and must leave this year, has been brewing for months.

In that district, which includes College Park and New Carrollton, Florence Hendershot, a high school teacher and wife of the incumbent, is considered the favorite.

‘‘I think probably a crowded field is to my advantage,” she said. ‘‘The more candidates there are, the fewer votes you need to win.”

The District 4 race is much smaller. It jelled after County Councilman Douglas J.J. Peters announced in mid-May that he would run for state Senate.

Bowie Mayor G. Frederick Robinson was among the first to file for the seat. Robinson, who has served as mayor since 1998, last ran for County Council in 1992 and lost to Audrey E. Scott, now the state’s planning secretary. This time, he could be the best known candidate.

Robinson said he will reach out to the western part of District 4 in Greenbelt, where he does not have the same strong base he enjoys in Bowie. No one from Greenbelt filed for the seat.

Ingrid Turner, a former Navy attorney, and Darrell Carrington, a program director in the county’s Department of Social Services, are also running for the seat.