Juan Arango-Millan declares victory in Prince George’s school board District 3 race

Juan Arango-Millan appears headed to the Prince George’s County Board of Education after building a commanding lead over Hyattsville parent and PTA leader Jamie McGonnigal in the District 3 race, according to unofficial election results.

Arango-Millan, a 27-year-old Brentwood Town Council member and former educator, received 8,368 votes, or 58.4%, compared to McGonnigal’s 5,892 votes, or 41.1%, as of 2:30 p.m. Wednesday. All 28 Election Day precincts had reported, though provisional ballots had not yet been counted.

Both candidates acknowledged the outcome on social media Wednesday, with Arango-Millan celebrating his apparent victory and McGonnigal conceding defeat.

“Public schools were my lifeline,” Arango-Millan wrote on Instagram around 11:00 a.m. “At a time when I needed stability, school gave me a place to learn and adults I could count on. I want every student in Prince George’s County to be able to count on that same support.”

Arango-Millan is poised to succeed Pamela Boozer-Strother, whose term expires at the end of the year. District 3 includes Hyattsville, University Park, Brentwood, North Brentwood, Mount Rainier and Edmonston.

A former teacher and legislative aide who now works in workforce development, Arango-Millan campaigned on protecting classroom resources amid district budget cuts, improving school facilities and strengthening communication with families. He did not respond to a request for an interview Wednesday.

In his candidate questionnaire for The Banner, he also emphasized ensuring that funding under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future reaches classrooms, improving academic performance and expanding outreach to Spanish-speaking families.

Arango-Millan, who grew up in foster care and experienced housing instability, said those experiences shaped his commitment to public education.

McGonnigal, 51, a Hyattsville Elementary School PTA leader and parent of a district student, campaigned on improving transportation reliability, strengthening accountability and giving families a greater voice in school decisions.

The race drew endorsements from prominent Maryland Democrats. Arango-Millan was backed by House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk, state Sen. Malcolm Augustine and Boozer-Strother, while McGonnigal received support from Gov. Wes Moore, state Sen. Alonzo Washington and the Prince George’s County Educators’ Association.

“This isn’t the post I hoped to write this morning,” McGonnigal separately wrote on Instagram around 8:00 a.m. “I’m deeply disappointed. I wanted to win because I love our kids, our schools, and this community, and I believed I could make a difference on our school board.”

He thanked his supporters and said he planned to step back to spend time with his family.

Arango-Millan thanked his opponent for his advocacy and pledged to stand for all District 3 families.

“However you voted, I will represent you and make time to hear from you,” he wrote. “My responsibility is to every student and family in District 3, and it is an honor to serve you.”