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Moore endorses Jawando for Montgomery County executive .Maryland Gov.Wes Moore (D) on Friday afternoon endorsed Will Jawando in the race for Montgomery County executive along with a slew of other Democratic candidates for local and state offices in the June 23 primary election.Moore is the latest high-profile Maryland Democrat to back Jawando, an at-large member of the County Council, for the county’s top job.Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) endorsed Jawando last month and appeared at his “final push” campaign rally on Monday at Silver Spring’s Zinnia.“We have delivered enormous progress for the people of Maryland since taking office, but there is still more work to do, and Will Jawando is a leader who will help us finish the job in Montgomery County,” Moore said in a press release from the Jawando campaign.Moore’s campaign put out a separate press release on Friday’s slate of endorsements.In a Friday afternoon phone interview with Bethesda Today, Jawando said he and Moore share a belief in leaving no one behind.He said the announcement did not come as a surprise.Jawando added that he has known the governor for a long time and was the first local elected official to endorse Moore, in June 2021, passing over others in a crowded field of candidates running in the 2022 gubernatorial election — including former Montgomery County Councilmember Tom Perez (D-Dist.“I’m proud to have his support, especially with 18 days to go” until the primary election, Jawando said of Moore, who is seeking re-election as governor.Jawando is one of five candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for Montgomery County executive in the primary election.His opponents include fellow councilmembers Andrew Friedson (D-Dist.1) and Evan Glass (D-At-large) as well as Gaithersburg businessman Peter James and Mithun Banerjee, a landlord from Silver Spring.Two candidates are competing for the Republican nomination — Friendship Heights attorney Shelly Skolnick and Esther Wells, a certified public accountant from Montgomery Village.The winners of the Democratic and Republican primaries will advance to the Nov.3 general election.Morrison, Goldberg win support in County Council races Among the other candidates for Montgomery County offices who won Moore’s endorsement on Friday were Drew Morrison, a Maryland Department of Transportation policy adviser who is seeking the Democratic nomination in County Council District 1, and Scott Goldberg, an attorney and one of 18 candidates running to fill four at-large council seats.“I am honored to have Governor Moore’s endorsement, ” Morrison said in the Moore campaign press release.“I have been proud to work with him on key priorities like advancing job creation and building housing near transit.I will bring that same focus to the County Council to partner with Governor Moore as we make our community more affordable and rebuild Montgomery County’s economy in the wake of federal cuts.” Goldberg said in the Moore campaign press release that it is the government’s responsibility to ensure future generations can afford to live in Montgomery County and in Maryland.“Governor Moore understands this and I cannot wait to tackle this challenge head on, together,” Goldberg said.Morrison will face Debbie Spielberg, a longtime aide to County Executive Marc Elrich (D), and county Board of Education member Julie Yang in the contest to represent District 1, which includes Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Friendship Heights.With the latest round of endorsements, Moore has now weighed in on most — but not all — of the contested primaries for Montgomery County offices this month.Last month, Moore endorsed incumbent Council President Natali Fani-González (D-Dist.6) and Councilmembers Kate Stewart (D-Dist.4), Dawn Luedtke (D-Dist.7) and Laurie-Anne Sayles (D-At-large) in their re-election bids.He also has endorsed term-limited Elrich for an at-large council seat.Left off both of Moore’s endorsement lists were Councilmember Kristin Mink (D-Dist.5), a staunch supporter of Jawando’s campaign who faces a primary challenge from Charles Kirchman, an information technology professional from Silver Spring.Council Vice President Marilyn Balcombe (D-Dist.2) does not have a Democratic primary opponent.Moore also has yet to make an endorsement in the race for Montgomery County sheriff, where union-backed candidate Will Milam is seeking to oust incumbent Maxwell Uy.For more information about candidates in the upcoming election, check out Bethesda Today’s 2026 Primary Election Voters Guide.