The special primary election for the Prince George’s County Council seat vacated by Monique Anderson-Walker (D-District 8) will be held Jan. 4, the council said Monday, providing a preview of what are shaping up to be contentious races across the county a few months later.
Wp Get the full experience.Choose your plan ArrowRight
School board member Edward Burroughs III, 29, a vocal critic of the county’s Democratic establishment, announced his candidacy the same day that Anderson-Walker resigned. The next day, former county council member Tony Knotts said he would enter the race. Knotts said in an interview that he did not want to criticize Burroughs, but believes that his long experience and role as a “consensus-builder” make him a strong candidate.
“I am concerned that we have such a divide with our people,” Knotts said, citing divisions between Democrats that have deepened amid a politically fraught redistricting process. “That is why it is important to provide stability. … I think I can provide that.”
Advertisement
Story continues below advertisement
Burroughs, who describes himself as a progressive, has been a sometimes polarizing figure on the school board — unafraid to criticize either County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks (D) or her predecessor, Rushern L. Baker (D). He said that on the council, he would make oversight of how the government spends tax dollars a priority.
The special election will be conducted by mail, with ballots sent to voters during the primary and general elections. There will also be an option to vote early in-person from Dec. 27 to Jan. 3 during the primary, except Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, and from Jan. 26 to Jan. 31 for the general, which is slated to take place Feb. 1.
Accusations of gerrymandering have deepened divisions in this Democratic suburb near D.C.
In deep blue Prince George’s, primary elections tend to be decisive. Already, this election cycle is revealing divides between the overwhelmingly Democratic county’s political establishment and an increasingly influential generation of liberal-leaning leaders willing to criticize it.
Advertisement
Story continues below advertisement
Knotts, a Vietnam War veteran from Oxon Hill, served on the council from 2002 until 2010. He was a representative in the House of Delegates from 2015 until 2019. Knotts also had a long career working for the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, retiring as a strategic management specialist. His dual role on the council and at WSSC drew scrutiny when in the early 2000s the public utility company was wracked by political infighting and allegations of mismanagement. Knotts said he sought approval from the attorney general to hold both positions and was told there were no problems.
He cited his accomplishments as helping realize the development of National Harbor, the waterfront development that is now one of Prince George’s biggest tourism draws, including a casino, hotels and restaurants; building the Southern Area Technology and Recreational Complex in Fort Washington; and helping to establish the new Oxon Hill High School.
Knotts, 70, said in an interview that he has always put the community first in his decision-making process. He described himself as a moderate Democrat who recognizes the importance of compromise.
Advertisement
Story continues below advertisement
“People want results,” he said.
As a council member, Knotts was named in a lawsuit alleging pervasive corruption in Prince George’s under former county executive Jack B. Johnson (D). A developer accused Knotts of telling one of their employees in 2009 that their project had a better chance of being approved if they donated to his campaign. He denied those allegations in an interview. The county settled the case without admitting wrongdoing.
District 8 includes Fort Washington, Oxon Hill, Temple Hills and Camp Springs. The boundaries of the district could change because of a redistricting process that the council will complete by the end of this month.