Vanessa Atterbeary Announces Run for Howard County Executive, Joining Crowded Democratic Field

Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary, chair of the Maryland House Ways and Means Committee, formally announced her candidacy for Howard County executive before a crowd of over 300 supporters at the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center in Columbia. The announcement positions Atterbeary as the fourth Democratic woman to enter the race, creating what could become a highly competitive primary election among fellow lawmakers.

Atterbeary, who grew up in Howard County, pledged to continue her advocacy for school funding, affordable housing, police reform and gun control measures. She emphasized her legislative experience and familiarity with Annapolis politics as assets for securing resources for the county. We have an opportunity for a fresh start next year here in Howard County with new people and new ideas, Atterbeary told supporters during her 17-minute speech.

The Democratic primary field already includes significant establishment support for other candidates. Before Atterbeary's announcement, much of the Democratic leadership had endorsed Delegate Jessica Feldmark of District 12A, including State Senator Guy Guzzone, chair of the Senate Budget and Tax Committee. Feldmark also received endorsements from former Howard County Executive Ken Ulman, for whom she served as chief of staff, and former delegate Shane Pendergrass.

Despite this established support network, Atterbeary demonstrated substantial backing of her own. She was introduced by State Treasurer Dereck Davis, a 27-year veteran of the House of Delegates from Prince George's County. House Speaker Adrienne Jones, representing Baltimore County, sat prominently on stage during the announcement, though she did not address the crowd. County Council member Opel Jones spoke to endorse Atterbeary, while two of his fellow Democratic council members, Deb Jung and Liz Walsh, are also running for county executive.

Additional supporters include Howard County State's Attorney Rich Gibson and Delegate Chao Wu of District 9. The event attracted significant African American representation and included current and former elected officials from outside Howard County, such as Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates and former Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker. The crowd gathered at the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center, located at what was formerly the county's all-black high school before desegregation in 1965.

Perhaps alluding to the potentially divisive Democratic primary, Atterbeary framed county government as a family unit. I like to think of our county government as a family. Behind closed doors, we all know that families can argue, but when those doors open, we have to come together around a vision for the betterment of the county, she stated. Howard County will continue to stand as a beacon of inclusion and progress, and we will not let hate, division or fear find a way in our county.

The outcome of this primary election carries significant implications for Howard County's 340,000 residents. The winner will likely become the next county executive, shaping policy on education funding, housing development, public safety reforms and economic development. Atterbeary positioned herself as a candidate who combines legislative experience with local knowledge, promising to leverage her Annapolis connections to secure county resources during times of government shutdown, economic uncertainty, or political gridlock.

As county executive, I will also go to Annapolis, a place I'm a little familiar with, to make sure Howard County has the resources that we need, Atterbeary assured supporters. Together, we can make sure we're building workforce housing, working in strong partnership for a better school system and preserve the things that make this county so special. The competitive nature of this primary reflects broader trends in Maryland politics where multiple qualified candidates from the same party compete for executive positions, potentially reshaping local government leadership and policy priorities.