Lazo, Diaz and McCarthy looking strong in the Montgomery County school board primary race

After the polls closed in Tuesday’s primary, several candidates for Montgomery County school board seemed poised to advance to November’s general election, according to preliminary results posted by the State Board of Elections.

Businessman Omar Lazo, who was endorsed by the teacher’s union, was the top performer in the at-large race, based on early returns. He was followed by Brenda Diaz, a former MCPS teacher who resigned from the district after violating the mask mandate during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the District 3 race, early numbers showed longtime PTA leader Sally McCarthy with a dominant performance, followed by Cassandra “Cassi” Sung, who works for a law firm.

Though four of the board’s eight seats are up for election in 2026, Tuesday’s primary only mattered for races with more than two candidates — the at-large and District 3 contests.

The top vote-getters will face off on Nov. 3.

School board races are nonpartisan, but in the weeks leading up to the primary, the campaigns were tinged with partisanship, as a super PAC blasted out ads labeling two candidates as too extreme and right-wing for deep blue Montgomery County.

One of those candidates was Diaz, who appeared on the county GOP’s voter guide for preferred candidates.

MCPS mom Sharon Creed, who was also the subject of those ads, fell in the middle of the pack in District 3. Also running in that race were political consultant Brett DiResta and recent MCPS graduate Andrew Frykman.

Early returns showed community leader Wylea Chase fell behind in the at-large race, where counselor Tiffany Wicks was also on the ballot.

The board — which includes one student, five district-based members and two at-large members — votes on the district’s budget, evaluates its superintendent and sets policy. Board members, who are paid $25,000 annually during their four-year terms, will confront complex issues in the coming years, including a tight budget, declining enrollment and questions about school closures.

The county’s recently approved budget provides the district with more than it received in the current fiscal year, but falls tens of millions of dollars short of what Superintendent Thomas Taylor said was needed.

The district was left with a $36 million funding hole and proceeded to cut hundreds of job positions.

In a county known for its strong public school system, the school board has served as a launching pad for higher office.

Two current board members, Julie Yang and Karla Silvestre, were also on Tuesday’s ballot. They ran for seats on the Montgomery County Council, with early numbers showing Yang in a strong position.

Board president Grace Rivera-Oven is running unopposed to keep her District 1 seat. And in District 5, Elma‑Lorraine Diggs was the only candidate seeking to replace Brenda Wolff.