Transparency

Endorser catalog

Plain-language descriptions of every endorsement organization we track. Use this page to decide for yourself whether an endorsement is a positive or a negative for you before you set your influence sliders on step 3. Every slider is bidirectional — you can slide left if a signal is a negative for you and the engine will count it that way.

How this maps to scoring

Each endorsement contributes to one or more candidate signals (the colored chips below). On the sliders page you tell VoteMoCo how much each signal matters to you and in which direction. We multiply your slider position by each candidate’s accumulated signal value to produce the InfluenceScore portion of their match. We do not, ever, take a position on whether any given endorsement is “good” or “bad” — that’s your call.

Education labor

Apple Ballot (MCEA-branded slate)

The Apple Ballot is MCEA's branded slate card and ground-game operation — same endorsement decisions as MCEA, distributed widely at polling places with volunteers.

What they advocate for: Same as MCEA. A spot on the Apple Ballot historically delivers significant turnout among MCEA-aligned voters; in November 2024 three BoE incumbents not on the Apple Ballot were ousted by Apple Ballot-endorsed candidates.

Viewed positively by

Same voters as MCEA — sees the brand as a trusted shorthand for pro-MCPS-staff candidates.

Viewed negatively by

Voters skeptical of MCEA's outsized organizing influence; those who feel Apple Ballot voting can crowd out independent judgment.

overall endorsement weight +0.9teachers / education-labor (MCEA, SEIU 500) +1.0establishment alignment +0.4

Montgomery County Education Association (teachers union)

Local affiliate of the National Education Association representing 14,000+ MCPS classroom teachers, counselors, paraeducators, and other non-supervisory certified MCPS staff. MCEA endorsements come after panels of MCEA members read each candidate's questionnaire and interview them.

What they advocate for: Increased MCPS funding; higher teacher and staff pay; smaller class sizes; protections during contract negotiations. Often positioned against changes that would reduce MCPS administrative discretion or expand school choice.

Viewed positively by

Voters who prioritize pro-MCPS-staff funding and union-aligned candidates.

Viewed negatively by

Voters who feel MCPS leadership should be held more accountable, who want stronger student-outcome metrics, or who view MCEA endorsement as a sign of insufficient willingness to challenge MCPS leadership.

overall endorsement weight +0.8teachers / education-labor (MCEA, SEIU 500) +1.0establishment alignment +0.4

Labor

1199SEIU Maryland/DC (healthcare workers)

SEIU local representing healthcare workers across hospitals, long-term care, and home health.

What they advocate for: Healthcare worker pay/staffing; Medicaid funding; public-health priorities.

Viewed positively by

Voters who prioritize healthcare access and pro-labor candidates.

Viewed negatively by

Voters skeptical of expanded public-sector healthcare spending or union influence in healthcare policy.

overall endorsement weight +0.6county & public-employee union support +0.8

32BJ SEIU (property services workers)

Union representing janitors, security officers, and other building-services workers, including many low-wage immigrant workers in the DC area.

What they advocate for: Wage standards; security and safety on the job; pro-immigrant labor protections.

Viewed positively by

Pro-labor voters, especially those focused on wage floors and immigrant workers.

Viewed negatively by

Voters opposed to wage mandates or specific labor-protection regulations.

overall endorsement weight +0.6county & public-employee union support +0.8

AFGE District 14 (federal employees)

Regional council of the American Federation of Government Employees representing federal workers.

What they advocate for: Federal employee rights, opposition to federal job cuts.

Viewed positively by

Pro-federal-workforce voters (especially relevant in the federal-heavy MoCo workforce).

Viewed negatively by

Voters favoring federal downsizing.

overall endorsement weight +0.5county & public-employee union support +0.8

AFL-CIO Metropolitan Washington Council

Regional council of dozens of AFL-CIO–affiliated unions in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

What they advocate for: Broadly pro-union labor positions across sectors; collective bargaining protections; wage standards.

Viewed positively by

Pro-labor voters.

Viewed negatively by

Voters skeptical of labor's role in local politics or favoring business-flexibility policies.

overall endorsement weight +0.7county & public-employee union support +0.9

AFSCME Council 3

Maryland's largest public-sector labor council, representing state and university employees.

What they advocate for: State-employee pay/benefits; opposition to privatization; pro-public-services platform.

Viewed positively by

Pro-public-sector voters.

Viewed negatively by

Voters favoring more privatization or smaller government.

overall endorsement weight +0.6county & public-employee union support +0.8

ATU Local 689 (transit workers)

Amalgamated Transit Union local representing WMATA bus and rail workers plus other transit employees.

What they advocate for: Transit-worker pay, safety, staffing; expanded transit investment.

Viewed positively by

Pro-transit and pro-labor voters.

Viewed negatively by

Voters skeptical of transit-spending growth.

overall endorsement weight +0.6county & public-employee union support +0.8

LiUNA Laborers' District Council

Construction laborers union covering DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

What they advocate for: Prevailing-wage standards; project-labor agreements; construction-worker safety; pro-development on union projects.

Viewed positively by

Pro-labor and pro-construction-jobs voters.

Viewed negatively by

Voters concerned about prevailing-wage cost premiums or specific large construction projects.

overall endorsement weight +0.6county & public-employee union support +0.8

MCGEO / UFCW Local 1994 (county employees)

Union representing thousands of Montgomery County government employees — sanitation, libraries, recreation, parking enforcement, and many other county workers.

What they advocate for: County-employee pay and benefits; collective-bargaining protections; opposition to outsourcing of county services.

Viewed positively by

Voters who prioritize a strong county workforce and labor-aligned candidates.

Viewed negatively by

Voters who want sharper limits on county personnel costs or favor outsourcing certain services.

overall endorsement weight +0.6county & public-employee union support +0.9

SEIU Local 500

Service Employees International Union local representing MCPS support staff (bus drivers, food-service workers, paraeducators) plus other public-sector and nonprofit workers in MD/DC.

What they advocate for: Wages and benefits for service workers; immigrant worker protections; broader pro-labor policy.

Viewed positively by

Pro-labor voters; voters who see MCPS support-staff working conditions as essential.

Viewed negatively by

Voters opposed to expansive union power or who want spending restraint on staff growth.

overall endorsement weight +0.6teachers / education-labor (MCEA, SEIU 500) +0.9

Public-safety labor

IAFF Local 1664 (Montgomery County career firefighters)

Union representing the county's career firefighters and EMS personnel.

What they advocate for: Firefighter staffing and pay; equipment investment; balance with the county's combined career/volunteer system.

Viewed positively by

Voters who prioritize strong public-safety services and emergency response.

Viewed negatively by

A small number of voters who favor expanded volunteer fire service, or who don't want public-safety budgets to grow faster than overall.

overall endorsement weight +0.6firefighters union (IAFF) support +0.9

Public safety

FOP Lodge 35 (MCPD police)

Fraternal Order of Police lodge representing Montgomery County Police Department officers.

What they advocate for: Officer pay, retention, and equipment; opposition to certain police-accountability measures the union views as restrictive; defense of officer discipline procedures.

Viewed positively by

Voters who prioritize strong policing, faster response times, and full staffing.

Viewed negatively by

Voters who prioritize police-accountability reform, or who are wary of policy positions taken by police unions in recent years.

overall endorsement weight +0.6police union (FOP) support +0.9

FOP Maryland State Lodge

Statewide Fraternal Order of Police organization.

What they advocate for: Statewide police pay and benefit standards; positions on use-of-force and accountability legislation.

Viewed positively by

Pro-policing voters statewide.

Viewed negatively by

Police-accountability advocates.

overall endorsement weight +0.5police union (FOP) support +0.9

M-NCPPC FOP Lodge 30 (park police)

FOP lodge representing officers of the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission Park Police.

What they advocate for: Park-police staffing and pay; safety in county parks.

Viewed positively by

Voters who prioritize visible park safety.

Viewed negatively by

Voters concerned about policing expansion in parks and recreation contexts.

overall endorsement weight +0.4police union (FOP) support +0.9

Education / families

Montgomery County PTA

Federation of MCPS parent-teacher associations.

What they advocate for: MCPS funding and family-centered education policy; supplements (not replaces) MCEA's union-side advocacy.

Viewed positively by

MCPS parents who appreciate the PTA's advocacy.

Viewed negatively by

A small number of voters who view PTA endorsements as procedurally captured by active volunteers.

overall endorsement weight +0.6teachers / education-labor (MCEA, SEIU 500) +0.5

Environment

Sierra Club (national/local chapters)

Same advocacy posture as Sierra Club MD — see that entry.

What they advocate for: Same as Sierra Club MD.

Viewed positively by

Same as Sierra Club MD.

Viewed negatively by

Same as Sierra Club MD.

overall endorsement weight +0.7environmental record +1.0

Sierra Club Maryland

Maryland chapter of the national environmental advocacy organization. Endorses candidates after a chapter screening process focused on climate, clean energy, transit, and conservation positions.

What they advocate for: Climate-mitigation policy; transit and bike investment over road expansion; opposition to projects that increase emissions or sprawl; conservation of green space.

Viewed positively by

Voters who prioritize climate action, environmental protection, and transit-first planning.

Viewed negatively by

Voters who feel environmental groups push for too-aggressive density / development, who want road capacity over transit, or who view climate priorities as misplaced.

overall endorsement weight +0.7environmental record +1.0

Housing-supply advocacy

Greater Greater Washington

DC-area urbanism news/advocacy organization focused on housing supply, transit, and walkable land use. The most prominent regional YIMBY (Yes-In-My-Back-Yard) voice. Endorses candidates aligned with pro-supply housing and pro-transit positions.

What they advocate for: Increased housing supply across the income spectrum; ending single-family-only zoning; transit-oriented development; protected bike infrastructure; Vision Zero. Often critical of slow-growth advocates and of council members who pause or scale back upzoning.

Viewed positively by

Voters who think the housing crisis is fundamentally a supply problem; pro-transit and pro-density voters; younger voters and renters.

Viewed negatively by

Voters who want to preserve existing single-family neighborhood character; longtime homeowners worried about density impacts on schools, traffic, or character; voters who view GGW's positions as too aligned with developers.

overall endorsement weight +0.6developer-aligned +0.6reform orientation +0.4

Transit advocacy

Action Committee for Transit (MoCo)

Long-running MoCo grassroots transit-advocacy group. Focuses on bus, MARC, and bike-pedestrian improvements.

What they advocate for: Frequent, reliable transit; BRT and Metro investment; complete streets; transit-oriented development.

Viewed positively by

Transit riders and advocates; voters wanting fewer car-dependent neighborhoods.

Viewed negatively by

Voters who prioritize road capacity and parking over transit; voters skeptical of new transit-spending growth.

overall endorsement weight +0.5environmental record +0.5

Progressive advocacy

Jews United for Justice (campaign fund)

Regional Jewish progressive advocacy group with an electoral campaign arm. Endorses candidates aligned with its racial-, economic-, and immigrant-justice priorities.

What they advocate for: Affordable housing; workers' rights; immigrant protections; criminal-justice reform.

Viewed positively by

Progressive voters; voters who appreciate values-based grassroots Jewish organizing.

Viewed negatively by

Moderate or conservative voters who view the group's positions as too progressive.

overall endorsement weight +0.5grassroots positioning +0.6reform orientation +0.5

Montgomery County Democratic Socialists of America

Local chapter of DSA — democratic-socialist political organization.

What they advocate for: Strong tenant protections (often including rent control); public housing investment; healthcare as a right; police-accountability and reallocation; climate action.

Viewed positively by

Left-progressive and democratic-socialist voters.

Viewed negatively by

Centrist, moderate, and conservative voters; many voters not aligned with explicit socialist framing.

overall endorsement weight +0.3grassroots positioning +0.9reform orientation +0.8establishment alignment -0.7

Our Revolution (national)

National organization with MoCo chapter. See Our Revolution Montgomery County for local context.

What they advocate for: Same.

Viewed positively by

Same.

Viewed negatively by

Same.

overall endorsement weight +0.4grassroots positioning +0.8reform orientation +0.7establishment alignment -0.4

Our Revolution Montgomery County

MoCo chapter of Our Revolution, the post-Bernie-Sanders movement organization. Endorses left-progressive candidates; works closely with allied unions and local activists.

What they advocate for: Single-payer-style healthcare; aggressive housing-supply + tenant protections; police-budget reallocation toward mental health; climate-emergency response.

Viewed positively by

Left-progressive voters; voters who see anti-establishment candidates as overdue.

Viewed negatively by

Centrist and moderate voters; voters who view the org's positions as politically infeasible or out of step with mainstream MoCo Democrats.

overall endorsement weight +0.4grassroots positioning +0.8reform orientation +0.7establishment alignment -0.4

Progressive Maryland

Statewide progressive advocacy organization mobilizing working-class voters around economic, environmental, and racial-justice causes.

What they advocate for: Tenant protections; corporate accountability; police-accountability reforms; expanded public services; opposition to large tax breaks for corporations or wealthy developers.

Viewed positively by

Progressive voters who want strong tenant protections, accountability reforms, and broader social-program investment.

Viewed negatively by

Moderate or conservative voters who view the org's positions as too far left, or who feel its housing/labor positions discourage development and growth.

overall endorsement weight +0.5grassroots positioning +0.7reform orientation +0.6

Progressive Neighbors of Montgomery County

Long-running local progressive endorser since 2006, focused on Montgomery County races. Strong volunteer ground game in nearer-in MoCo neighborhoods.

What they advocate for: Local progressive priorities — tenant protections, MCPS funding, police-accountability reform, climate action, immigrant defense.

Viewed positively by

Progressive voters and those familiar with the org's track record in MoCo.

Viewed negatively by

Moderate and conservative voters; some Council watchers who view the org's slate as aligned with one ideological faction within county Democrats.

overall endorsement weight +0.5grassroots positioning +0.8reform orientation +0.7

Run for Something

National PAC that recruits, trains, and endorses young progressive Democrats running for local office for the first time.

What they advocate for: Election of young first-time progressive Democrats; broader pipeline-building for the Democratic Party.

Viewed positively by

Voters who want generational change and progressive newcomers in office.

Viewed negatively by

Voters who prefer experienced candidates over new ones.

overall endorsement weight +0.4grassroots positioning +0.6reform orientation +0.5

Working Families Party

Multi-state minor-party / advocacy infrastructure that cross-endorses Democratic candidates aligned with its working-class platform.

What they advocate for: Strong tenant protections; union rights; healthcare access; opposition to big-money politics.

Viewed positively by

Progressive and pro-labor voters who care about populist economic positions.

Viewed negatively by

Centrist voters; voters who see WFP cross-endorsement as a signal of left-of-mainstream positioning.

overall endorsement weight +0.6grassroots positioning +0.7reform orientation +0.6county & public-employee union support +0.5

Advocacy

CASA in Action

The political/electoral arm of CASA, a national immigrant rights organization with deep Maryland roots and 173,000+ members. Endorses candidates aligned with its pro-immigrant agenda; runs canvasses for endorsed candidates.

What they advocate for: Pro-immigrant policy; sanctuary protections; opposition to police–ICE cooperation; expanded health-care access; affordable housing for immigrant families.

Viewed positively by

Voters who prioritize immigrant rights and view immigrant communities as core to MoCo.

Viewed negatively by

Voters who favor stricter immigration enforcement, or who object to CASA's positions on local-federal cooperation.

overall endorsement weight +0.6grassroots positioning +0.5

LGBTQ+ Victory Fund

National PAC that endorses out LGBTQ+ candidates for office at all levels.

What they advocate for: Election of qualified LGBTQ+ candidates; LGBTQ+ civil-rights protections.

Viewed positively by

Voters who value LGBTQ+ representation in elected office.

Viewed negatively by

Voters opposed to identity-based endorsements.

overall endorsement weight +0.5

Moms Demand Action (Maryland)

National grassroots gun-safety organization with a strong Maryland chapter. Endorses candidates aligned with its gun-violence-prevention agenda.

What they advocate for: Universal background checks; red-flag laws; community-violence intervention; opposition to broad gun-rights expansion.

Viewed positively by

Voters who prioritize gun-safety policy.

Viewed negatively by

Voters opposed to expanded firearm regulation.

overall endorsement weight +0.5

VoteVets

National progressive advocacy organization for veterans and military families.

What they advocate for: Veterans' healthcare and benefits; gun-safety policy; democratic-norms protection.

Viewed positively by

Voters who prioritize veterans' issues and progressive defense policy.

Viewed negatively by

Voters who view VoteVets as too partisan or politically aligned with one party.

overall endorsement weight +0.5

Civil rights

Montgomery County NAACP

Local NAACP branch advocating on racial-justice, civil-rights, and educational-equity issues.

What they advocate for: Civil-rights protections; equitable opportunity in education and policing; voting-rights access.

Viewed positively by

Voters who prioritize racial equity and civil-rights advocacy.

Viewed negatively by

Voters who view local NAACP positions as politically aligned with one faction.

overall endorsement weight +0.7

Business

Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce PAC

Political-action arm of the county's largest business association.

What they advocate for: Business-friendly tax and regulatory environment; opposition to high commercial-property tax or burdensome regulation; pro-economic-development positions.

Viewed positively by

Pro-business voters; voters who feel MoCo's business climate is too restrictive.

Viewed negatively by

Voters who view Chamber endorsements as a marker of corporate or developer alignment; pro-labor voters.

overall endorsement weight +0.6business community +1.0establishment alignment +0.5

Real estate / development

Greater Capital Area Association of Realtors (GCAAR)

Regional realtors' trade group.

What they advocate for: Property-tax restraint; positions favorable to home sales and brokerage; opposition to costly housing regulation.

Viewed positively by

Homeowners and pro-property-tax-restraint voters.

Viewed negatively by

Voters skeptical of real-estate industry influence in local politics.

overall endorsement weight +0.5business community +0.6developer-aligned +0.7

Maryland Building Industry Association

Trade association representing residential builders, developers, and remodelers in Maryland.

What they advocate for: Building-industry-friendly zoning and permitting; opposition to fees and regulations that raise the cost of new construction.

Viewed positively by

Voters who think regulation is what's choking new housing supply.

Viewed negatively by

Voters skeptical of developer influence in local politics; tenant advocates.

overall endorsement weight +0.5business community +0.7developer-aligned +1.0

Media / editorial

Bethesda Magazine / Bethesda Today editorial

Local-news publication; sometimes publishes voter guides and endorsements.

What they advocate for: Generally locally-informed, broadly establishment-friendly positions.

Viewed positively by

Voters who appreciate locally-grounded vetting.

Viewed negatively by

Voters who view local media endorsements as captured by establishment interests.

overall endorsement weight +0.5

moderatelymoco.com

Independent MoCo politics blog/Substack with a moderate/pragmatic editorial lens. Publishes candidate introductions and occasional endorsements.

What they advocate for: Generally moderate, pragmatic positions; willingness to assess candidates without strong ideological alignment.

Viewed positively by

Voters seeking moderate or non-partisan civic context.

Viewed negatively by

Voters who view independent local media as either too soft on incumbents or insufficiently progressive.

overall endorsement weight +0.5

Washington Post Editorial Board

Editorial board of the regional newspaper of record. Issues endorsements for higher-profile MoCo races based on its editorial-board interviews.

What they advocate for: Generally moderate-establishment positions, often favoring fiscal restraint, government accountability, and pro-growth policy. Sometimes critical of incumbent decisions on housing or budget.

Viewed positively by

Moderate voters and voters who trust mainstream editorial vetting.

Viewed negatively by

Both progressives (who view the Post editorial board as too business-friendly) and conservatives (who view it as too liberal). The endorsement is genuinely contested as a signal.

overall endorsement weight +0.8establishment alignment +0.5

Sitting elected officials

Council Member Dawn Luedtke (District 7)

First-term MoCo Council District 7 member.

What they advocate for: Public safety; supply-side housing in upcounty; transit.

Viewed positively by

Upcounty voters who trust her record.

Viewed negatively by

Voters seeking change.

overall endorsement weight +0.4establishment alignment +0.5

Council Member Kristin Mink (District 5)

First-term MoCo Council District 5 member; progressive activist before joining the Council.

What they advocate for: Tenant protections; rent stabilization; immigrant-defense; progressive governance.

Viewed positively by

Progressive voters; tenant advocates.

Viewed negatively by

Voters opposed to Mink's progressive positions.

overall endorsement weight +0.5grassroots positioning +0.5

Council Member Laurie-Anne Sayles (At-Large)

Sitting MoCo Council At-Large member; running for re-election.

What they advocate for: Workforce housing; transit; community advocacy.

Viewed positively by

Voters who value her track record.

Viewed negatively by

Voters seeking change from incumbents.

overall endorsement weight +0.5establishment alignment +0.5

Council Member Marilyn Balcombe (District 2)

First-term MoCo Council District 2 member.

What they advocate for: Upcounty business development; consensus-oriented governance.

Viewed positively by

Upcounty voters who trust her local record.

Viewed negatively by

Voters seeking change.

overall endorsement weight +0.4establishment alignment +0.5

County Executive Marc Elrich

Two-term outgoing County Executive; pro-rent-stabilization, pro-progressive, on-record skeptical of supply-only housing strategies. Term-limited; running for Council At-Large in 2026.

What they advocate for: Tenant protections; affordable-housing subsidies; environmental priorities; opposition to broad upzoning.

Viewed positively by

Progressive voters; Elrich's longtime coalition.

Viewed negatively by

Pro-housing-supply voters; centrist Democrats critical of Elrich's record on growth.

overall endorsement weight +0.6grassroots positioning +0.4

David Blair (former County Executive candidate)

Business executive who twice ran (and narrowly lost) the MoCo Democratic primary for County Executive in 2018 and 2022; remains influential in local centrist Democratic circles.

What they advocate for: Business-friendly economic growth; education-focused governance.

Viewed positively by

Centrist Democrats; Blair's prior supporters.

Viewed negatively by

Voters aligned with Elrich's progressive coalition.

overall endorsement weight +0.6establishment alignment +0.6business community +0.5

Former MD Attorney General Doug Gansler

Two-term Maryland Attorney General; ran for Governor in 2014.

What they advocate for: Establishment Democratic positions.

Viewed positively by

Voters who appreciate Gansler's legal record.

Viewed negatively by

Progressives who view him as too centrist.

overall endorsement weight +0.5establishment alignment +0.6

Former MD Comptroller Peter Franchot

Long-serving former Maryland Comptroller (2007–2023); ran for Governor in 2022.

What they advocate for: Fiscal-restraint Democratic governance; consumer protection.

Viewed positively by

Centrist Democrats; voters who appreciate his fiscal posture.

Viewed negatively by

Progressives who view him as too centrist.

overall endorsement weight +0.5establishment alignment +0.6

Former MoCo Council At-Large Member Hans Riemer

Three-term MoCo Council At-Large member; ran for County Executive in 2022; longtime housing-supply advocate.

What they advocate for: Pro-housing-supply Democratic governance; transit-oriented development.

Viewed positively by

Pro-supply voters who follow his housing advocacy.

Viewed negatively by

Voters who supported Riemer's 2022 opponents.

overall endorsement weight +0.5developer-aligned +0.4

Former U.S. Rep. David Trone (MD-6)

Total Wine co-founder; served three terms as U.S. Representative for MD-6 (western MoCo); ran in 2024 Senate primary.

What they advocate for: Business-friendly Democratic platform; addiction-policy reform.

Viewed positively by

Moderate Democratic voters.

Viewed negatively by

Progressives who view Trone as too business-aligned.

overall endorsement weight +0.6establishment alignment +0.7business community +0.4

Governor Wes Moore

Maryland's sitting Governor (Democrat). His endorsement reflects his pick of allies and party-establishment alignment.

What they advocate for: Generally Moore-aligned positions: economic growth, public-services investment, balanced governance.

Viewed positively by

Voters who trust the Governor and want his policy alignment in local office.

Viewed negatively by

Voters who view top-down endorsements as steering primary outcomes, or who disagree with Moore's positions.

overall endorsement weight +0.7establishment alignment +0.8

Mayor Jud Ashman (Gaithersburg)

Long-serving Mayor of Gaithersburg; running for MoCo Council District 3 in 2026.

What they advocate for: Pro-supply housing; transit; consensus-oriented growth.

Viewed positively by

Gaithersburg voters who appreciate Ashman's mayoralty.

Viewed negatively by

Voters in non-Gaithersburg parts of D3 who prefer a different perspective.

overall endorsement weight +0.4establishment alignment +0.5

Mayor Monique Ashton (Rockville)

Mayor of the City of Rockville.

What they advocate for: Pragmatic governance; affordable housing within Rockville context.

Viewed positively by

Rockville voters who appreciate her tenure.

Viewed negatively by

Voters in non-Rockville areas of MoCo skeptical of city-level endorsements.

overall endorsement weight +0.3establishment alignment +0.5

MD State Senator Brian Feldman (D-15)

Long-tenured Maryland State Senator from MoCo's District 15.

What they advocate for: Mainstream MD Democratic priorities; economic development; transportation infrastructure.

Viewed positively by

Voters trusting senior legislator endorsements.

Viewed negatively by

Voters skeptical of incumbent-aligned endorsements.

overall endorsement weight +0.6establishment alignment +0.6

MD State Senator Craig Zucker (D-14)

Maryland State Senator from MoCo's District 14.

What they advocate for: Mainstream MD Democratic priorities.

Viewed positively by

Voters trusting incumbent legislator picks.

Viewed negatively by

Voters preferring fresher voices.

overall endorsement weight +0.5establishment alignment +0.6

MD State Senator Nancy King (D-39)

Long-serving State Senator from upper MoCo's District 39; former Senate Majority Leader.

What they advocate for: Education-funding and senior-services priorities; consensus-oriented governance.

Viewed positively by

Voters who trust the senior legislator's record.

Viewed negatively by

Voters seeking change from longer-tenured incumbents.

overall endorsement weight +0.5establishment alignment +0.7

MD State Senator Sara Love (D-16)

Maryland State Senator from MoCo's District 16; former Delegate.

What they advocate for: Progressive Democratic priorities including gun safety.

Viewed positively by

Center-left voters.

Viewed negatively by

Voters skeptical of state legislator endorsements in local races.

overall endorsement weight +0.5establishment alignment +0.5

Tom Perez

Former U.S. Secretary of Labor and former MoCo Council At-Large member; longtime national Democratic figure with deep MoCo roots.

What they advocate for: Establishment Democratic positions blended with labor priorities.

Viewed positively by

Voters who trust Perez's record on labor and civil rights.

Viewed negatively by

Voters skeptical of national-figure endorsements in local primaries.

overall endorsement weight +0.7establishment alignment +0.7

U.S. Rep. Sarah Elfreth (MD-3)

Freshman U.S. Representative from MD-3.

What they advocate for: Pragmatic Democratic positions; ties to AA County / suburban Maryland.

Viewed positively by

Voters trusting member-of-Congress endorsements.

Viewed negatively by

Voters skeptical of out-of-MoCo officials weighing in.

overall endorsement weight +0.5establishment alignment +0.6

U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin (MD-8)

Sitting U.S. Representative for most of Montgomery County (Democrat); long-time progressive figure.

What they advocate for: Progressive Democratic values, civil-liberties protection, democratic-norms defense.

Viewed positively by

Progressive and Democratic-leaning voters who consider Raskin a trusted figure.

Viewed negatively by

Voters opposed to Raskin's politics or who view incumbent-aligned endorsements skeptically.

overall endorsement weight +0.7establishment alignment +0.5reform orientation +0.4

U.S. Representative Kweisi Mfume (MD-7)

Sitting U.S. Representative; former NAACP president.

What they advocate for: Civil-rights focus and Democratic-establishment alignment.

Viewed positively by

Voters who value civil-rights leadership.

Viewed negatively by

Voters skeptical of long-tenured officeholder endorsements.

overall endorsement weight +0.6establishment alignment +0.5

U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks

Sitting U.S. Senator from Maryland (Democrat); former Prince George's County Executive.

What they advocate for: Establishment Democratic alignment; experienced county-government posture.

Viewed positively by

Voters who trust Alsobrooks's record.

Viewed negatively by

Voters skeptical of senior-official endorsements in primaries.

overall endorsement weight +0.7establishment alignment +0.7

Want to add a new endorser? See contact info. The full machine-readable list is at data/candidates/_config/endorsers.json in the public repo.