Sol Gutiérrez switches endorsement from Jawando to Glass

In an unusual turn of events in local politics, former Maryland Del. Ana Sol Gutiérrez (D-Dist. 18) has swapped her endorsement in the Montgomery County executive race.

In October she endorsed Will Jawando. On Monday she announced she’s backing Evan Glass.

“I’m going to be honest with you. Last year I endorsed a candidate for County Executive. But as time went on, I realized I made a mistake,” Sol Gutiérrez, who represented the Chevy Chase area in the House of Delegates for 16 years, wrote in an April 27 email to supporters.

She praised Glass for issues from “expanding protections for renters and workers, to championing equity in our schools, to standing up for immigrant families when it matters most.”

“Evan’s progressive record isn’t just talk –– it’s measurable, meaningful progress,” she wrote.

The email did not name and said nothing directly about Jawando.

Glass thanked Sol Gutiérrez in a social media post but did not reference the switch.

“I’m honored to have the support of former Delegate Ana Sol Gutiérrez,” he wrote. “As the first Latina elected to the Maryland General Assembly, she has long been a steadfast advocate for immigrant and marginalized communities.”

A representative of Jawando’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Delegate’s TikTok

Del. Lesley Lopez (D-Dist. 39), has gained fans well outside her district by stepping into the fray between Megan Thee Stallion and the rapper’s ex-boyfriend, Dallas Mavericks star Klay Thompson — whom she accuses of cheating on her.

In a TikTok posted Thursday, Lopez, who represents Germantown and Montgomery Village, deadpans that she will now go by “Lesley Thee Delegate” in solidarity with “our girl Megan” and that she will request a state proclamation banning Thompson from “ever eating a crabcake again.”

The post had over 157,000 views on Friday afternoon and hundreds of comments, some comparing Lopez to “Parks and Recreation” character Leslie Knope.

“Oh girl I might just move so I can vote for you,” one commenter said.

More council members make endorsements in executive race

Montgomery County Council members Marilyn Balcombe and Dawn Luedtke have endorsed their colleague Andrew Friedson for county executive.

Although Balcombe had previously attended campaign events in support of Friedson, she did not formally endorse him until April 22.

“As a representative for the Upcounty, I am proud to endorse Andrew Friedson because he understands the unique needs of our growing communities and the importance of a strong local economy,” Balcombe said in a joint news release with Luedtke, who called Friedson a “pragmatic problem solver.”

“He is the leader we need to manage our resources responsibly and deliver real progress for our residents,” Luedtke said.

Jawando has been endorsed by council member Kristin Mink, a frequent collaborator and ally of his on legislative efforts, since the beginning of his campaign. Council member Laurie-Anne Sayles also endorsed Jawando during his campaign launch event in May 2025.

Glass has not yet been endorsed by any of his council colleagues.

Not all council members plan to make endorsements.

Council President Natali Fani-González has said she will forgo endorsements to help keep the council working as a team. Past Council President Kate Stewart said in 2025 that she intended to stay out of the race during her presidency, and she has not weighed in.

Council member Shebra Evans, who was elected to fill a vacancy and pledged not to seek a council seat this election season, is unlikely to make an endorsement, given her temporary role.

Council member Sidney Katz also has yet to make an endorsement.

Budget battle comes to a head

County Council members will decide Monday whether to approve labor agreements that three unions reached with County Executive Marc Elrich and his administration — or head to the negotiating table.

The unions have become the focal point of a budget battle, because their contracts are part of an alternative budget proposal from the council president.

The 11-member council broadly rejected Elrich’s initial proposal, including his push for a more than 6-cent property tax increase.

Fani-González and Jawando, a member of the council, have introduced alternative spending plans. Neither wants to raise property taxes, and both want high earners to contribute more of their income. But they disagree over raises and retirement benefits for county employees.

Jawando has allied himself with the unions, including several that have endorsed his campaign for county executive. Fani-González, meanwhile, has proposed lower pay increases than the unions agreed to.

Union leaders have strongly opposed the council president’s approach, contending employees shouldn’t bear the brunt of the county’s budget problems.

Council members have been reluctant to throw their support behind either proposal. Monday will reveal where they stand.

“We’re gonna truly find out which legislators respect and support and value the dedicated county employees that take care of the needs of their constituents each and every day,” said Gino Renne, president of UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO, which represents county employees outside the school system and the police and fire departments.