Fundraising takes center stage in Howard County executive race

In her closing statement at a Howard County executive debate hosted by the local NAACP branch last week, Vanessa Atterbeary noted her key endorsements.

There was Gov. Wes Moore, U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks and a number of the former state delegate’s Maryland General Assembly colleagues. There were civic groups like the Columbia Democratic Club, the People’s Voice, and the Coalition of Asian Pacific American Democrats of Maryland. And the unions representing Howard County teachers, public employees and law enforcement.

Her message was clear. She’s clinched enough favor to be considered the probable front-runner among Democrats for Howard’s highest office in this year’s election.

The June 23 primary could determine the next executive, since no Republicans have entered the race. The position is up for grabs as County Executive Calvin Ball nears his term limit at the end of 2026. Ball and Del. Jessica Feldmark, who dropped out of the county executive’s race in December, have endorsed Atterbeary, her campaign announced Wednesday night.

Atterbeary’s pull with the Democratic establishment, and particularly its donors, has made her a target among her opponents in the Democratic primary — businessman Bob Cockey and council members Deb Jung and Liz Walsh.

Atterbeary is the only candidate not using Howard’s Citizens’ Election Fund, which encourages candidates to rely on small, private donations. Candidates who use the fund see their donations matched with county dollars but are barred from accepting money from political action committees, corporations, businesses, labor organizations or political parties.

Atterbeary previously advocated for public campaign financing but has said she decided against using it because it limited her relationship with labor groups. She also considered it unfair to ask taxpayers to pay for her campaign when she already had resources in an existing campaign account. Howard County’s public campaign financing rules would have barred her from using those funds.

That decision positioned her to far outpace her competitors in fundraising. Election records filed in May show she has pulled in nearly $1.13 million in contributions, more than all of her opponents combined. Jung has raised more than $452,000. Walsh has raised more than $267,000, and Cockey has raised about $5,700.

While no Republicans have filed to run, some Howard residents have speculated that Allan Kittleman, the Republican county executive who preceded Ball, could join the race as an independent. Kittleman recently wrote an op-ed saying he was leaving the Republican Party over his disaffection with President Donald Trump. Non-principal political party candidates have until July 6 to file to appear on the Nov. 3 general election ballot. Kittleman said Monday that he is not planning to join the race.

With early voting set to begin on June 11, the four Democratic candidates convened for their 13th debate Thursday in a gymnasium at the Dancel Y in Ellicott City. They sparred over questions about housing affordability, education funding, public safety and economic development.

Yet the debate repeatedly veered back toward the topic of campaign financing and political influences throughout the night.

Moments after Atterbeary finished listing her endorsements during closing remarks, Cockey began his own statement with a dig.

“I’m not endorsed by any of those groups,” he said. “I’m unbought and unbossed.”

“I only take small donations, mostly from Howard County residents,” Jung said when her turn came. “This means I will answer to the residents of Howard County, first and foremost.”

Liz Walsh pitched herself as the reform candidate among the group.

“I do not come from the Democratic establishment,” she said, before ticking off a shorter list of endorsements from progressive and advocacy groups.

Some residents have also questioned donations to Atterbeary’s campaign. A coalition of neighbors opposed to the controversial W.R. Grace Co.’s test plastic recycling facility in Columbia pointed out that the company, its CEO, and a partner in a law firm representing the company had all donated to Atterbeary’s campaign.

Others raised concerns in Howard County Facebook groups about Atterbeary’s donations from people associated with The Source, a community center planned in the former Columbia Flier building, which has received millions in public financing but remains incomplete.

“It’s sad and desperate that opponents are resorting to insinuation and conspiracies in the closing days of their flailing campaigns,” Henry Snurr, Atterbeary’s campaign manager, said in a statement. “There is one bottom line that really matters: Vanessa’s decisions as county executive will be driven by what is best for the community, and nothing else.”

It’s not clear how voters are reacting to the candidates’ fundraising and endorsements.

A small poll released by Walsh’s campaign in April showed Atterbeary in the lead with 17%, followed by Walsh at 13% and Jung at 12%. However, 58% of the 401 voters who participated in the poll said they were undecided.

Katrina Bowers, an undecided voter, attended the debate to hear more about each candidate’s policy priorities for the office.

“The race feels less about finding a perfect candidate and more about weighing the authenticity and vision of the candidates,” Bowers said. “I want to make sure their vision is aligned with mine.”

The debate touched on a wide range of issues — public safety, infrastructure, recent land use disputes, social services, support for seniors, county contracts for minority- and women-owned businesses, and the minimum wage.

All four candidates identified education as a top priority.

Atterbeary committed to funding schools with at least 55% of the budget. Cockey suggested that some county funding for projects such as a new lakefront library in Columbia would be better spent on students. Jung said the county executive should fully fund the school system’s budget request in order to make sure that students have what they need. Walsh also spoke about investing in teacher salaries, student food insecurity and the condition of school buildings.

Each candidate also spoke at length about housing insecurity. Atterbeary proposed getting rid of a county fee that developers can pay in lieu of building low- or moderate-income housing units. Cockey wants the county to invest in incentives for first-time homebuyers in order to build generational wealth. Jung said her first move as county executive would be to launch comprehensive rezoning with the goal of building more housing and to pursue the county’s plan to revitalize the Columbia Gateway office park. Walsh believes the county should enact permanent rent stabilization and build its own affordable housing, cutting out third-party developers.

By the end of the debate, Bowers was still on the fence about who she planned to vote for in the primary. She told a friend in a text message that she left the event appreciating the qualities of each candidate, but also harbored concerns about each of them. What she really wanted from the candidates was focus.

“They seem to be all over the place,” she said.