Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski announced Tuesday he will run for Maryland’s 2nd Congressional District seat.
If he is successful Olszewski, a Democrat, will leave his current position two years before completing his second four year term.
In an interview with WYPR, Olszewski expressed no concern about possibly being part of a politically fractured House of Representatives. Olszewski said he’s been able to work across the aisle with a politically split Baltimore County Council.
“To do things like enact gun safety,” Olszewski said. “We’ve been able to tackle some of the more vexing budget challenges here in Baltimore County. We’ve been able to address issues of climate change and sustainability, and we’ve done it together.”
Olszewski said he plans to run on his accomplishments as county executive.
He said, “This is what you get with Johnny Olszewski as a congressman; you get someone who understands at the most local of levels how policies from health care to homelessness affect everyone’s daily lives.”
Olszewski will remain county executive as he campaigns for Congress.
Olszewski had been waiting in the wings to see whether Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger would seek a 12th term. Both are Democrats and Olszewski was not going to challenge Ruppersberger for the seat. Ruppersberger said Friday that he is not seeking reelection.
It’s been clear for years that Olszewski has political ambitions beyond county executive and for months that he was eyeing a run for Congress.
Olszewski considered running for governor in 2022 and for Maryland’s open U.S. Senate seat this year but in both cases did not.
Political observers say Olszewski has built in advantages in the congressional race. For starters, he is well known in the district because it is mostly made up of Baltimore County. It also includes most of Carroll County and a portion of Northern Baltimore City.
He also has shown he can amass a sizable campaign warchest. According to his annual state campaign finance report released earlier this month, Olszewski has more than $1.7 million on hand. However, he cannot use that money to fund a federal campaign.
Last year, he formed what’s called an “unfiled exploratory committee” to raise money for a possible congressional race. Olszewski would not say how much has been raised.
“We’ll be sharing a very strong number when those figures are released later this week,” Olszewski said.
His campaign released a list of more than 60 local and state officials who are supporting his campaign.
Olszewski, who is 41, served in the House of Delegates from 2006 to 2015. In 2014, he lost a race for the State Senate to Republican Johnny Ray Salling.
He was elected county executive in 2018 after winning a three way race for the Democratic primary by a razor thin 17 votes.
“I’ve been through enough in my political life that I know to take nothing for granted,” Olszewski said.
The race for the Democratic nomination is not a coronation.
Del. Harry Bhandari announced Monday he will seek Ruppersberger’s seat.
Bhandari has been in the Maryland House of Delegates since 2019. His district includes the part of Baltimore County that hugs the northeast corner of Baltimore City.
Bhandari teaches in the Baltimore City Public Schools. He came to the U.S. from Nepal in 2005.
“When I moved to the U.S. I worked the night shift at a Baltimore gas station, experiencing first hand the struggle of working class Americans,” Bhandari said.
He said he can find ways to work with Republicans in Washington.
“I work with everybody,” Bhandari said. “That is my track record.”
Two other Democrats, Jessica Sjoberg and Clint Spellman Junior have filed to run in the party’s primary for the 2nd Congressional seat.
The deadline to file as a candidate in Maryland is Feb. 9.
Primary Election Day is May 14.
