Prince George's County

Voters exiting the polls across Maryland's 4th Congressional District yesterday cited their desire for change as the most important factor in their decision to support U.S. Rep.-elect Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington) in both her successful primary and general election campaigns.

"She brings a freshness and new blood," Phyllis Widemon of Upper Marlboro told PolitickerMD.com after casting her ballot for Edwards.

Frank Kratovil (D-Stevensville), responding to our interview with Andy Harris (R-Cockeysville), said the notion that he is liberal is "ridiculous when you consider my background."

"When you talk to people in Annapolis and around the state-they do not consider me a liberal," Kratovil said.

Speaking with PolitickerMD.com earlier today, Harris referred to Kratovil as a "Prince George's machine Democrat," referencing his opponent's younger days in the heavily Democratic county.

"Everyone is considered a liberal to Harris," Kratovil said, calling the state senator "an extremist."

"What I talk about are facts," Kratovil said. "I've been a prosecutor since 1995. My job, my entire professional career, has been putting people in jail and locking them up."

Andrea Fletcher Harrison (D-Springdale) cruised to victory in Tuesday's special election to fill the District 5 vacancy on the Prince George's County Council. With 100 percent of the precincts reporting, Harrison received more than 87 percent of the vote over Republican Steven Johnson, a businessman from Cheverly. The victory was expected in the heavily Democratic district.

Harrison has served the past five years as the deputy chief of staff for the District 5 council office, where she worked as the policy director for Councilman David Harrington (D-Cheverly). Harrington replaced the deceased Sen. Gwendolyn Britt in the General Assembly, leading to the council opening.

State Sen. David Harrington with Andrea Harrison, the likely Democratic nominee to fill his vacant PG County Council seatNew numbers just released by the Prince George's County Board of Elections show Andrea Fletcher Harrison (D-Springdale) with a lead of more than five percentage points over Mayor Adam Ortiz (D-Edmonston) in the race to fill the open District 5 seat on the Prince George's County Council.

Harrison's lead increased from 137 to 171 votes after absentee ballots were counted.

Only provisional and military/overseas ballots remain.

The board plans to certify the results next Friday, April 11.

Mayor Adam Ortiz (D-Edmonston) is the only elected official seeking to fill the open District 5 seat on the Prince George’s County Council. With that line on his resume, the two-term Democratic mayor from Edmonston is running on his record against six Democratic opponents, as the April 1 primary election approaches.

“I think I have a record of proven experience of delivering for regular people,” Ortiz told PolitickerMD.com.

Elected in 2005, Ortiz said crime has dropped 24 percent in Edmonston since he became mayor. He also said he helped stem flooding issues in the city, saying his administration pumped $6 million into flood prevention methods.

Derrick Parks (D-Lanham) believes he has the “talent and skills” to revitalize the business community in Prince George’s County. The owner of the Metropolitan Protective Services security firm, which provides uniform guard services, Parks told PolitickerMD.com that his experience “running a company” sets him apart from his seven opponents in the race to fill the open District 5 seat on the Prince George’s County Council.

While saying there were “land developers who would like to come” to Prince George’s, Parks said crime had to be addressed first.

The candidate said he would look to open an organization of “volunteer reserve police officers,” saying he would set a goal of having a 2 percent volunteer police force in the county, or roughly 250 additional unpaid officers.

Reducing crime is one of the most important issues facing Prince George’s County today, according to Adrion Howell (D-Glenn Dale), a local lobbyist and former liaison to Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson.

Howell vowed to work to “increase the size of the police force” in the county, if he is elected to fill the open District 5 county council seat vacated by state Sen. David Harrington (D-Cheverly), who was promoted to the General Assembly following the death of Gwendolyn Britt.

Andrea Fletcher Harrison (D-Prince George’s County) cited her experience working closely with members of the Prince George’s County Council as her edge against the eight others vying to fill the open District 5 council seat vacated by David Harrington (D-Cheverly), who replaced the deceased Sen. Gwendolyn Britt in the General Assembly. 

“I have been serving the residents of Prince George’s County for the past six years,” Harrison told PolitickerMD.com.  

Harrison has served the past five years as the deputy chief of staff for the District 5 council office. She previously served one year as a constituent services liaison.

The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) 1199 United Healthcare Workers East, Maryland Division, has endorsed Mayor Adam Ortiz (D-Edmonston) in his bid to fill the open District 5 Prince George's County Council seat vacated by David Harrington, who replaced the deceased Sen. Gwendolyn Britt in the General Assembly.

The union also endorsed Donna Edwards (D-Fort Washington) in her successful Democratic primary campaign in Maryland’s Fourth Congressional District.

“Like Donna Edwards, Adam Ortiz is a new kind of leader in Prince George’s County,” John Reid, Executive Vice President of 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, Maryland Division, said in a statement. “By putting people before politics, Adam Ortiz will be a fresh voice and a force for change on the county council.”