It has often been noted that some communities in the city are underrepresented on City boards and commissions, or haven't been engaged in public outreach. Fulton says she will use her experience in building coalitions and consensus to ensure the voices of all Rockville residents are heard before difficult decisions are made. She said she would focus on preserving small businesses, affordable housing and trees and green space as the city continues to grow and develop.
“Many issues we discuss nationally are impacting life in Rockville," Fulton told attendees at the campaign kick-off event. “Housing, climate, the economy. I believe that we can address these issues here at home, but it takes strategic thinking, strong decision making, and input from all of Rockville.”
“I think about Rockville the way I think about my own children,” Fulton explained. “I am proud of my children, but I don’t want to freeze them in time. I want to make decisions that allow them to grow and reach their full potential. Rockville should be taking a similar approach to itself. Evaluating and making decisions that to benefit the most people for the longest amount of time.”
Photo courtesy Committee to Elect Kate Fulton
Many observers had mentioned Cox as a potential candidate once incumbent David Trone declared he would give up his seat to pursue Ben Cardin's seat in the U.S. Senate. The initial report of Cox actually filing likely thrilled GOP voters who are still strongly in the tank for Donald Trump, who endorsed Cox in his 2022 bid for Maryland governor. But for a Democratic Party that hasn't yet been able to secure a slam-dunk candidate for the 6th District race, in terms of name recognition or ability to finance an expensive campaign, the entry of Cox was likely seen as a boon. Democratic candidate Joe Vogel of Montgomery County's Twitter response echoing former Gov. Larry Hogan's Cox attack line, "QAnon Whack Job," summed up that sense of a candidate who could be quickly and negatively defined in a district that a Republican still can't win without some support from independent voters.
But Cox throwing water on the celebration before it could even really heat up has generated the biggest mystery in Maryland politics since Roy McGrath. If Cox didn't file the form, who did, and why? Cox has since implicated a Twitter bot account holder as the possible culprit, but he or she is yet to be identified.
One Republican who isn't disappointed Cox disavowed the FEC filing is Maryland Del. Neil Parrott. He lost to Trone in the 6th by 9 points in 2022. With Cox not on the primary ballot, and no one of Trone's moderate image and wealth on the Democratic side, Parrott has to be liking his chances this time around. And turnout among Republicans in the 6th in 2024 should be high.While many American voters have said they don't want to choose a president from a rematch between Trump and Joe Biden, they've made equally clear that they know which of the two they will support in such a rerun of a contest.
But for all the talk of filing, none of the names mentioned in this article so far even appear on the official Maryland Board of Elections candidate list for the 6th District race. As of this writing, there are five candidates listed: George Gluck (D) of Rockville, Stephen R. McDow II (D) of Monrovia, Chris Hyser (R) of Thurmont, Todd A. Puglisi (R) of Germantown and Mariela Roca (R) of Frederick.
A Rockshire neighborhood resident and member of the Rockville Chamber of Commerce, Adam Van Grack is calling for more transparency and communication from city government to residents. He is suggesting the next Mayor and Council hold more town hall meetings in neighborhoods around the city. Having served as a gubernatorial appointee to the Maryland Juvenile Justice Advisory Council, Van Grack is also making public safety a priority issue in his Council campaign. This would include hiring more police officers, and providing financial assistance to residents and businesses who might otherwise not be able to afford security cameras.
Van Grack is also focusing on one of the biggest hot-button issues in the city, the struggling Town Center area. He is recommending increased housing density and changing the parking configuration, but also cutting off taxpayer subsidies for some businesses in the Town Center.
"I support Adam Van Grack for Rockville City Council," Hoffmann said at a Van Grack campaign event, calling him part of "the new leadership of Rockville's future!" The City Council will expand in size with this November's election, from five to seven seats. Hoffmann has remained politically active since leaving office, at both the city and county levels, most recently as a candidate for the vacant District 17 seat in the Maryland House of Delegates.
Photo courtesy Friends of Adam Van Grack
