Reports: Leggett Running for 3rd Term as Montgomery County Executive

Citing “unfinished business,” Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett said Tuesday that he would seek re-election in 2014, The Washington Post reported.

Leggett is expected to post an announcement online Tuesday night, according to WTOP, which first reported an announcement was pending.

In a letter to supporters, Leggett said he had closed budget shortfalls and spurred job growth in his seven years in office, The Gazette reported.

In an interview in Rockville, he cited an improving economy and new state aid for long-planned transportation projects as advantages that the County Executive will have in the next term, The Post reported. New revenue for the projects was made possible when the General Assembly earlier this year passed a gasoline tax increase—something for which Leggett advocated as far back as his time on the County Council, where he served from 1986 to 2002.

Click here to read the report in The Post.

Leggett, 67, is the first African American to serve as Montgomery County Executive. 

His announcement ends months of speculation and sets up an increasingly crowded field for the Democratic primary. Douglas M. Duncan, who served as County Executive from 1994 to 2006, and County Councilman Philip M. Andrews (D-Dist. 3) of Gaithersburg, both say they’re running.

Councilman George L. Leventhal (D-At large) of Takoma Park said he was running, The Gazette reported, but later told the newspaper that Leggett’s war chest and advantage as an incumbent gave the County Executive “the best possible scenario for winning.”

The plans of a number of other potential candidates could become clearer now that Leggett is in. County Councilman Marc B. Elrich (At large) of Takoma Park and Del. Benjamin F. Kramer (D-Dist. 19) of Derwood each told The Gazette in November that they’d wait to see what Leggett decided before deciding their plans.

County Councilwoman Valerie Ervin (D-Dist. 5) of Silver Spring is also considering whether to enter the race and former County Councilman Michael J. Knapp has not ruled out a run for the county’s top post, The Gazette reported.

James Shalleck, an attorney and former chairman of the Montgomery County Republican Party, also is considering a run, The Gazette reported.

Click here to read more in The Gazette.