Beltsville resident Michelle García on Tuesday won the Democratic primary election for Prince George’s County Council District 1, which represents the northern third of College Park.

Because no Republican candidates ran in Tuesday’s primary, García will have no opposition during the November general election unless an Independent or write-in candidate runs against her. García is expected to replace outgoing Councilmember Tom Dernoga, who did not run for re-election, in December.

Dernoga was unable to run because councilmembers are limited to two consecutive four-year terms at a time. He served from 2002 to 2010, sat out for eight years, and was elected again in 2018 and 2022.

García defeated former Laurel City Councilmember Martin Mitchell and political newcomer Darwin Romero. With all 27 precincts reporting at 1 a.m. on Wednesday, García had amassed 63.23% of the votes, a total of 3,805 ballots. Mitchell finished the race with 33.52% of the votes, or 2,017, and Romero gained 3.26%, or 196.

“I plan to be a voice on the council for those who sometimes may feel voiceless,” García, the daughter of an immigrant father, said during her Election Night party. “And I say that first and foremost because I will be carrying that with me every day I will be sitting on the dais.”

District 1 covers Adelphi, Beltsville, Calverton, North College Park, Laurel, Montpelier, South Laurel, Vansville and West Laurel. The rest of College Park is in District 3 and is represented by County Council Vice Chair Eric Olson, who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. No Republicans ran in the primary.

García has worked as Dernoga’s chief of staff since 2018, overseeing the day-to-day activities of his office and coordinating legislative initiatives and constituent services. Before that, she served as chief of staff to Joseline Peña-Melnyk when she was a District 21 state delegate. Peña-Melnyk became speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates in December 2025.

García campaigned for Attorney General Anthony Brown when he ran for governor and for U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin when he sought re-election. She also served as a community liaison for state Sen. Jim Rosapepe (District 21) and was the first executive director of the Maryland Legislative Latino Caucus. In addition, García was elected twice to the Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee and served from 2018 to 2025.

García is enrolled in the county’s public campaign financing program and has vowed to accept no money from lobbyists or special interests.

“This is a publicly funded campaign,” García said during her victory speech. “We have a lot to be proud of. We are trailblazing here.”

Other county winners as of early Wednesday morning are returning councilmembers Jolene Ivey of Cheverly and Sydney Harrison of Upper Marlboro, who finished in first and second place among eight candidates to fill two at-large seats on the council.

No Republican candidates ran for the at-large seats.

County Executive Aisha Braveboy won a landslide victory over four Democratic opponents. Although no Republicans ran for county executive in the primary, The Banner has reported that attorney Tonya Sweat has said she will run against Braveboy as an Independent in November.

Independent candidates are not included in the primaries and have until July 6 to register their intention to run. Financial disclosures and other official paperwork are due on Aug. 3.

Three candidates ran for the District 2 Board of Education seat in a non-partisan primary. The top two vote-getters, Greenbelt resident Terence Clegg (45.43%) and University of Maryland student Alvaro Ceron-Ruiz (29.16%), will face off in the general election in November.

Greenbelt resident Caroline Decaire-Goldin came in third, with 25.41% of the vote.

Incumbent Jonathan Briggs, who lives in Greenbelt, did not run for re-election.

The Board of Education’s District 2 covers College Park, Greenbelt, Berwyn Heights and parts of Lanham, Riverdale and New Carrollton.