Montgomery County Councilmember Andrew Friedson has announced that he is running for county executive in next year’s general election.
The 39-year-old, who lives in Bethesda, officially announced his candidacy on Wednesday to replace County Executive Marc Elrich, who is term-limited and cannot run for a third term in 2026.
He joins fellow councilmembers Will Jawando and Evan Glass in the county executive race, as well as Silver Spring resident and medical assistant Celeste Iroha.
Friedson has been a member of the Montgomery County Council since 2018 and served as its president in 2024. He chairs the Planning, Housing, and Parks Committee and is part of the Government Operations and Fiscal Policy Committee.
Bethesda Magazine notes that Friedson is the council’s youngest member, raising over $1 million ahead of his announcement on Wednesday. His campaign kickoff is scheduled for June 22.
Bethesda, MD — Montgomery County Councilmember and former Council President Andrew Friedson announced today that he is launching his campaign for Montgomery County Executive. As a former Council President, Friedson brings a proven record of bringing people together to get big things done. In his work on the Council and in the community, he has observed that life is becoming increasingly difficult and unaffordable for many families. He’ll focus on making Montgomery County more affordable, increasing economic opportunity for all, and standing up to protect the county from the Trump Administration’s ruthless attacks on our federal workers, contractors, and values.
“As someone who was born and raised here, I know the enormous promise of Montgomery County — but our economy is unacceptably stagnant, housing prices are out of control, and families are getting priced out, ” said Friedson. “We can once again make Montgomery County a place that leads the region in economic growth, provides our students with a world-class education, and is accessible and welcoming to all. But it will take someone with a proven record and a pragmatic approach to get us back on track. This campaign is a fight for our community’s future to make Montgomery County affordable for families to live and attractive for businesses to invest.”
Since his election as the youngest Councilmember and youngest Council President in Montgomery County history, Friedson has emerged as a leading voice for fiscal responsibility and a pragmatic problem-solver who has turned progressive values into tangible results that improves people’s lives. He authored the largest economic development package in the county’s history, established a nationally-recognized effort to produce more affordable housing, co-authored the largest climate investment in county history, and led the fight to stop property tax and income tax increases to protect affordability for families. His effective efforts have spanned housing affordability, economic development, transit-oriented land-use, public safety, environmental sustainability, fiscal oversight and ethics reform – while funding public schools at record levels and increasing transparency and accountability in the school system. Friedson has also worked closely with community leaders, small businesses, labor partners, and faith-based organizations to deliver responsive and equitable policies and programs.
“Montgomery County has unparalleled assets and unrivaled talent but we’ve lacked the urgency, intentionality, and follow-through to capitalize on them in a way that our community expects and deserves,” said Friedson. “With the Trump administration’s attack on federal workers and their destructive policies that are leading to growing economic uncertainty and higher costs, it’s more critical than ever that we unite our community rather than divide it to create jobs and opportunities, lower housing costs, hold the line on taxes, and stand up for our shared values.”
Councilmember Friedson is inviting supporters, community stakeholders, and media to attend a grassroots kickoff event on June 22. For more information, to RSVP for the campaign kickoff event, or to get involved in the campaign, please visit www.andrewfriedson.com or follow the campaign on social media at facebook.com/andrewfriedson and x.com/amfriedson.
Photo: Benjamin Sky Brandt / Montgomery County Council