Election season is nearing its peak in Prince George’s County. In less than 24 hours, primary elections will begin, giving voters a chance to cast their ballots and decide who will represent them in the November general election.
Throughout the Laurel area, the most competitive primary election is for the District 1 County Council seat. Three candidates—Michelle García, Martin Mitchell and Darwin Romero—are vying to replace Council Member Tom Dernoga, who is term-limited.
The winner of Tuesday’s primary is all but certain to go on to win the general election. There are no Republican or independent candidates running for the seat.
The outcome on Tuesday will be historic regardless of who wins. García would be the first Latina elected to the seat. Mitchell would be the first Black or Afro-Caribbean council member to represent the district, and Romero would be the first immigrant elected to the seat.
In April, The Laurel Independent and Streetcar Suburbs Publishing hosted the first and only District 1 County Council Candidate Forum, where all three candidates made their case to voters. Below is a deeper look at the candidates, their backgrounds and the issues driving their campaigns.
Michelle García
Michelle García, 50, lives in the Birmingham Estates neighborhood of Beltsville with her daughter and currently serves as chief of staff to Prince George’s County Council Member Tom Dernoga. García has lived in Prince George’s County since moving from New York as a child. She is the only woman and Latina running for the District 1 seat. Her father immigrated from Peru, and her mother is Puerto Rican.
Why is García running?
After years of working behind the scenes in state and county government, García said she decided she was ready to seek elected office herself.
“I’m absolutely prepared to come in on day one and be the best council member that District 1 deserves to have,” she said.
What made her pursue public service?
Her interest in public service began while working as a certified addiction counselor earlier in her career. She said she became frustrated with the health care system and the challenges facing people in recovery, leading her to look for ways to make broader systemic changes.
“I really got frustrated with the system. I got frustrated with how health care paid. I got frustrated with the rate of people in treatment and coming back to treatment,” she said.
García later worked as a legislative aide and chief of staff for Maryland House Speaker Joseline Peña-Melnyk before joining the District 21 legislative delegation and eventually becoming chief of staff to Dernoga.
What are her campaign issues?
García has built her campaign on government transparency, improving constituent services and ensuring major projects such as the reconstruction of High Point High School remain on schedule. She also said she wants to reduce bureaucracy and improve how county government functions.
Learn more about García here.
Martin Mitchell
Martin Mitchell, 35, remains the only candidate in the District 1 race to have held public office. He previously served as an at-large member of the Laurel City Council. Mitchell was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, but said he has lived in Laurel since first grade and currently resides in the Laurel Lakes area.
Why is Mitchell running?
Mitchell said he is running to bring accountability to the District 1 office, believing that county government has failed to resolve longstanding issues in the community.
“I’ve seen a lot of people’s problems go unanswered,” Mitchell said. “A lot of the same issues that I was handling as a constituent director 10 years ago still exist.”
“This is my home. This is where I’m raising my twin sons. This is where my grandmother [and] my mom lives. This is where my friends live,” he said.
What made him pursue public service?
Mitchell said his interest in public service developed while studying at Bowie State University. A classroom discussion about corporate ethics, he said, led him to question where elected officials could provide safeguards for communities. His professor, citing the philosopher Plato, told him those who can lead should.
“If you have the capacity to lead and you choose not to lead, don’t be upset when you’re led by a lesser person,” his professor told him.
During that time, Mitchell interned for former Maryland Del. Eric Ebersole and former U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer.
What are his campaign issues?
Like most candidates in the race, Mitchell said he wants to address affordability, including housing and the cost of living. If elected, he said he would propose strengthening the county’s rent stabilization laws, supporting inclusionary zoning and exploring tiny-home communities.
Other campaign priorities include economic development by expanding the county’s tax base through economic growth rather than increasing taxes. He also supports education and community development, including construction of new schools such as High Point High School in Beltsville.
“My support comes from the people. I always believe that there are more people than there are politicians,” he said. “I know that I can be a change agent to improve the community.”
Learn more about Mitchell here.
Darwin Romero
Darwin Romero, 49, is a six-year resident of District 1 who lives in the Montpelier community of Laurel with his two sons. Romero immigrated to the United States from El Salvador in 1984, living in Houston, New York City and eventually Maryland. He currently works as a contract manager and holds bachelor’s degrees in economics and mathematics from the University of Maryland.
Why is Romero running?
Romero said his campaign centers on representation and ensuring residents regularly see their elected officials in the community.
“If we’re gonna have public servants who represent our community, they need to connect with the community,” Romero said. “They need to know what’s going on, and they need to have a pulse on the community.”
What made him run for office?
Romero said his bid for county office is not his first campaign. Before moving to Prince George’s County, he lived in Montgomery County, where he ran for an at-large seat on the Montgomery County Council and later for the Montgomery County Board of Education.
He said his District 1 campaign grew out of a commitment to community service, advocacy and frustration with how government operates.
“Service has been central to my life,” he said.
Romero said his immigrant background gives him a unique perspective on the needs of many county residents. About 25% of Prince George’s County residents are foreign-born, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Like Romero, the largest foreign-born population in Maryland comes from El Salvador.
What are his campaign issues?
Romero has built his campaign around being a political outsider. He is the only candidate in the race who has neither held elected office nor worked for a current elected official.
“I believe we need change,” he said. “I believe we need somebody who can bring a different perspective than what we’ve seen.”
Romero said he would focus on education, affordability and economic development. His platform includes improving educational outcomes through partnerships with nonprofits and stronger oversight, increasing engagement with immigrant communities and attracting more businesses to the county to expand the tax base.
Learn more about Romero here.