Floreen Files an Independent Candidacy for County Executive
Montgomery County Councilmember Nancy Floreen filed Monday an independent candidacy for county executive, another wrinkle in the 2018 election season.
In a 143-word statement, Floreen said she would announce her final decision on candidacy once all the primary votes for county executive have been certified.
The Democratic primary for county executive remains too close to call. Councilmember Marc Elrich leads former health care executive David Blair, Blair, 36,117 to 35,968.
“Let me be clear: I would like to have waited for the final count of ballots in the County Executive race,” she wrote. “However, State law sets July 2 as the deadline for declaring an independent candidacy.”
Marjorie Roher, Montgomery County elections board spokeswoman, said Floreen’s application is being reviewed by legal counsel.
Floreen, who endorsed former Rockville mayor Rose Krasnow, said if Blair or Elrich with the primary, they do so with “a fraction of a fraction” of the Democrats.
“I believe ALL Democrats, Republicans, and independents would benefit from a third, independent choice,” she wrote. Reached by phone, Floreen would not answer questions.
The Montgomery County Board of Elections still has provisional ballots to research and count, which is scheduled to be completed July 5, and a second batch of absentee ballots which will be counted on July 6.
Republican Robin Ficker ran unopposed in the June 26 primaries.
Floreen will end the year finishing her fourth four-year term as an at-large member of the council. Because of the term-limits charter amendment passed by referendum in 2016, she cannot seek another term.
With her departure, the council could be left with only Councilmember Nancy Navarro as a woman on the nine-member body. The other eight positions went to men in the Democratic primary on June 26. Penny Musser, a Republican, is seeking an at-large seat on the council.
Before Floreen’s election to the council in 2002, she served two terms on the Montgomery County Planning Board and worked for U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski. She also served as mayor of Garrett Park, a community of about 1,000 east of Rockville Pike and north of Beach Drive.
During the June 26 primary, Floreen was a guest during Montgomery Community Media’s coverage. Here’s the video:
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