Prince George’s County voters will head to the polls on March 4 to nominate candidates for the county council’s vacant District 5 seat.
Six candidates — five Democrats and one Republican — are competing to be their party’s nominee for the vacant District 5 seat on the Prince George’s County Council. Early voting will take place from Feb. 26 to March 3, according to the Maryland Board of Elections.
The winners of the Democratic and Republican primaries will compete in the general election on June 3.
The special election comes after Jolene Ivey, who represented District 5 from 2018 to 2024, won a special election in November for the council’s at-large seat.
Former at-large council member Mel Franklin resigned in June, days before he was charged with several campaign finance-related crimes. Franklin pleaded guilty in August and was sentenced in November to five years in prison with four suspended.
Another candidate who filed to run, Cheverly Mayor Kayce Munyeneh, said she ended her campaign in a statement posted on social media in January.
Here’s a look at the candidates running for the vacant District 5 seat. Candidates are listed alphabetically by last name.
Shayla Adams-Stafford
Shayla Adams-Stafford, a Democrat, is the CEO and founder of AdaptiveX, a professional development and software company, according to her campaign website.
Adams-Stafford was elected to Prince George’s County Board of Education in 2020 and was reelected for a second term during November’s general election. She resigned from her position on Dec. 19 to run for the vacant county council seat.
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According to her website, Adams-Stafford hopes to lower taxes and improve access to services including healthcare and in-home care for seniors. She also hopes to address economic growth by increasing access to skills training programs and pursuing community-based development.
Adams-Stafford did not respond to The Diamondback’s multiple requests for an interview.
Theresa Mitchell Dudley
Democrat Theresa Mitchell Dudley, a middle school teacher, told The Diamondback she is running for the District 5 seat because she understands the challenges within the county’s school district.
“I’ve been in the system for over 28 years and I understand what an overcrowded classroom feels like. I understand what poor police response times feel like,” Dudley told The Diamondback. “No one should have to live like that. We deserve better.”
If elected, Dudley hopes to introduce advisory neighborhood commissions to Prince George’s County, she said. Similar commissions exist in Washington, D.C., and allow elected neighborhood representatives to advise government officials on issues affecting the community, according to the city’s website.
Kendal Gray
Democratic candidate Kendal Gray, a former county auditor who previously served as the chief of staff for a former county council member, believes his experience will allow him to better develop the county’s economy, according to his campaign website.
Gray’s priorities include building an educated workforce, lowering crime and maintaining a fair minimum wage, his website said. He also hopes to provide seniors with new transportation options, lower their taxes and appoint an ombudsman to help mediate complaints between senior citizens and their retirement homes, according to his website.
Gray did not respond to The Diamondback’s multiple requests for an interview.
Ryan Middleton
Democrat Ryan Middleton is the director of the county’s CountyStat team, a data analytics group that monitors the county government’s performance.
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Middleton told The Diamondback he hopes to expand the county’s commercial tax base to limit reliance on residential taxes, attract industries and businesses to the county and provide quality services to residents.
“I want to make sure that the message is getting out about everything that we’re trying to do to make sure that county residents are receiving the services that they deserve,” Middleton said.
Fred Price Jr.
Marine Corps veteran Fred Price Jr. is the lone Republican running for the county council seat. In an interview with The Diamondback, Price said that he feels the county government does not have a cohesive vision.
“I feel that for the next 18 months, I can be the deal breaker or assist them in learning to communicate, coordinate and cooperate among government officials,” Price said.
If elected, Price told The Diamondback that he hopes to improve public safety within the county by increasing community and parental responsibility. He also would like to increase development within the county to improve economic growth and attract more people to the community, he said.
Christopher Wade
Christopher Wade, a Democrat, serves as a member of the Cheverly Town Council and works with the county’s strategic partnerships and community solutions office to help provide students and families services such as food distribution and mental health services, according to his website.
Wade told The Diamondback that if elected, his priorities would include addressing public safety through both traditional law enforcement and community policing. He also would aim to allocate resources for crisis prevention programs to help address mental health safety and support the county’s senior population by lowering their taxes, making housing more affordable and providing them more services, according to his website.
“[Senior citizens] are the people who are the backbone of the county,” Wade said. “They are the legacy of the county.”
