GCAAR Just Endorsed in a School Board Race for the First Time

The Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS®, the trade group for real estate agents in Montgomery County and the District, released its endorsements for the November 3 general election on Tuesday. Two of them are for the Board of Education, which GCAAR says is the first time it has endorsed in a school board race.

That is the part worth noticing. Board of Education races in Maryland are formally nonpartisan, candidates run without a party label, and all seven elected members are chosen countywide, so a voter in Damascus helps decide the District 3 seat. GCAAR says it represents more than 11,000 real estate professionals. A group that size entering those races is a change in who is spending political attention on them.

GCAAR endorsed Omar Lazo at-large and Sally McCarthy in District 3. Both races are contested: Lazo faces Brenda M. Diaz, and McCarthy faces Cassandra “Cassi” Sung. We asked all four what they consider the biggest issue on the ballot, and published their answers in our guide to the four candidates and the remaining forums. The League of Women Voters forum is today, October 14.

In the county races, GCAAR backed Will Jawando for County Executive and seven council candidates: Julie Yang in District 1, Marilyn Balcombe in District 2, Jud Ashman in District 3, Kate Stewart in District 4, Dawn Luedtke in District 7, and Scott Goldberg and Karla Silvestre at-large. GCAAR made no endorsement in Districts 5 and 6.

Ashman is the sitting mayor of Gaithersburg, and his council run has already set the city’s own succession in motion. The Gaithersburg City Council conditionally selected Lisa Henderson to replace him if he wins.

GCAAR says its Political and Campaign Affairs Committee reviewed questionnaires and interviewed four Board of Education candidates and five Republican candidates for council and executive over the last two months, on top of 25 candidate interviews before June’s primary. President Russell Brazil frames the reasoning around “a structural deficit with its operating budget, declining public school enrollment and a stagnant local economy.”

We are publishing the announcement in full below. Moderately MOCO does not endorse candidates, and running a trade association’s endorsements is not agreement with them. GCAAR’s detail on each pick is at gcaar.com/endorsements.

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Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® announces general election endorsements

Local REALTOR® association endorses candidates in Montgomery County, Md. races

October 14, 2026. For immediate release. Media contact: Christine Barnhart, Vice President, Strategic Communications, 301.590.8764 or cbarnhart@gcaar.com.

ROCKVILLE, Md. – The Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS® (GCAAR)’s Political and Campaign Affairs Committee (PCAC) has endorsed 10 candidates who are running to serve on the Montgomery County Council and as County Executive in the November 3 general election.

Additionally, for the first time, the association has made endorsements in the Board of Education races.

During the last two months, the PCAC reviewed candidate questionnaires and interviewed four Board of Education candidates and five Republican candidates for the council and county executive positions, to go along with the 25 candidate interviews conducted before the primary election in June. The questionnaires and interviews helped the PCAC weigh the candidates’ policy platforms to determine their alignment with GCAAR’s positions and advocacy goals in support of the real-estate industry.

“With the county facing a structural deficit with its operating budget, declining public school enrollment and a stagnant local economy, it’s imperative that we make our voice heard and work with elected leaders on proactive solutions,” said GCAAR President Russell Brazil.

The endorsements are as follows.

County Executive: Will Jawando

Montgomery County Council

• District 1: Julie Yang
• District 2: Marilyn Balcombe
• District 3: Jud Ashman
• District 4: Kate Stewart
• District 5: (No endorsement)
• District 6: (No endorsement)
• District 7: Dawn Luedtke
• At-Large: Scott Goldberg
• At-Large: Karla Silvestre

Board of Education

• District 3: Sally McCarthy
• At-Large: Omar Lazo

Additional details about each candidate can be found on GCAAR’s website at gcaar.com/endorsements.

About GCAAR

The Greater Capital Area Association of REALTORS®, one of the largest local REALTOR® associations in the U.S., is the voice for REALTORS® in Washington, D.C. and Montgomery County, Maryland. Representing more than 11,000 real estate professionals in the greater capital area, GCAAR provides services vital to its members’ daily business needs and works with lawmakers to ensure public policy that encourages homeownership and supports the real estate industry. For more information, visit www.GCAAR.com.

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