He was a Maryland county executive from eight years, and now — six years later — Rushern Baker said he hopes to reclaim his job at the top of Prince George’s County’s government.
Baker will make his announcement on Tuesday morning in Fort Washington, Maryland, where he now calls home. Ahead of the announcement, he spoke with WTOP about why he’s running and what he’ll focus on.
“A lot of our residents have moved to the South,” Baker said, referring to Charles County. “We were once the most affluent and educated African American county in the nation and probably the world.”
“People have left the county because of public safety issues, crime and jobs, economic development and job creation. And those are things I can bring back here to the people,” he added.
Echoing a lot of the winning messages from the 2024 elections, Baker said economic angst and concerns about public safety are just as prevalent in Prince George’s County as everywhere else.
“It’s what people are most afraid of,” Baker said. “It’s always about the economy and jobs and job security. That’s what residents of Prince George’s County said to me — that they’re concerned with jobs and public safety.”
Baker touted the job growth the county experienced during his 2010 term in office, as well as the reductions in crime that also occurred. He vowed to boost the county’s police department if he returns to office.
“Remember when I came in, we lost staff from the police department and other places, because the county executive was on his way to jail and a council member was on her way to jail,” Baker said in reference to former county executive Jack B. Johnson and his wife Leslie who were sentenced to prison for an extortion conspiracy scheme.
“People lost confidence in the public safety. So we had to build it fresh. I know how to do that, and that’s what I’ll do as county executive,” he added.
‘You have to know what you’re doing’
Baker insists he’s not running because he’s bored. Since leaving office in 2018, he’s been part of the University of Maryland’s School of Public Policy, noting that he helped mentor other new executives in the public sphere.
He’s also run twice for governor, finishing second to former NAACP President Ben Jealous in 2018 and then garnering just 4% of the vote in 2022, when he suspended his campaign and later dropped out about a month before the primary election.
His critics are also sure to point out the takeover of the county school system he championed, which ended with a series of scandals that eventually led state lawmakers to ditch appointed school board members and bring autonomy back to the school system.
Of course, two of the critics running against him also happen to be close friends of his — Prince George’s County Council members Calvin Hawkins and Jolene Ivey. Hawkins served in Baker’s administration, and Baker and Ivey are godparents to each other’s kids.
He spoke kindly of them, but said neither has been an executive before, and he believes experience matters.
“We’re all grown ups, and if you live in a Democratic county, then you’re going to run against other Democrats,” Baker said.
“When I ran for county executive in 2010, I ran against Michael Jackson, who’s now a state senator and a good friend of mine. We were able to work together. So I look forward to working with the state’s attorney, Aisha Braveboy, and Calvin Hawkins and Jolene Ivey in their individual capacity. When I’m county executive, I want to work with them.”
Baker repeatedly touted his experience to explain why he’s the best candidate to address issues he thinks matter the most to people.
“The person coming into the office has to be able to be county executive the day they’re sworn in,” Baker said. “I know for a fact it takes you six to eight months to get ready. And so I know this county. I know these projects. A lot of them, I started. The county executive (Angela Alsobrooks) continued them.”
“The county is a corporation. It’s a $4 billion corporation,” he added. “You can’t just step into that. You have to know what you’re doing at all levels.”
Shortly before he’s scheduled to announce his run, the county council is set to meet to decide when that special election will be held. Under county law, that could happen as soon as January.
But, the requirement that the race be held within 45 days of a vacancy conflicts with state law, which requires at least 59 days. Last month, the council struggled to reach agreement on a plan to meet the state law.
Emergency legislation is needed to take effect immediately, and with one vacancy — and with Hawkins and Ivey vowing not to vote on the matter — all eight members have to agree on a plan.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.