Riemer Rally Wrap

Council at-large challenger Hans Riemer held his campaign kickoff rally on Saturday and many of our spies were in attendance. In addition, Riemer’s campaign posted multiple pictures from the event on Facebook. (It doesn’t pay for candidates to be shy!)

Here are a few comments from informants who were there, mixed in with a handful of photos.


Spy: It was amazing - there were over 200 people there, including many of the County's progressive/transit activists. Probably the largest contingent was from Silver Spring/Takoma Park, but I saw folks from Bethesda too. I think Hans’s candidacy is really going places...seems like there's really good momentum.


Delegate Kirill Reznik (D-39) speaks to a packed conference room.

Spy: He will be hard to beat. At least 200 people by my head-count. Lots of energy, lots of excitement.


Senator Jamie Raskin (D-20) takes the mike.

Spy: Massive crowd. Endorsements from two sitting, influential MoCo Councilmembers. Great speech from Hans that touched on all of his quality of life/policy reasons for wanting to be on the Council. Tons of energy and enthusiasm. Existing at-large members should be scared. One of them is not going to return.


Council Member Valerie Ervin and Riemer were rivals in 2006. Not anymore. And why is David Moon (left) looking so bored?

Spy: All in all, it definitely was smart from an organizing standpoint - classic David Moon, is what people there were saying. Having a slew of electeds up there saying they back him showed that he’s a serious candidate. The audience was his friends, so largely a young white activist crowd from D20. Packing 100 people in a small office created a feeling of excitement, or at least just of body heat. And it seemed like the crowd was pretty jazzed to work for him – a few dozen people took lawn signs home. He may actually be able to win this thing with only $150k!


Delegate Heather Mizeur (D-20), with the mike, hosted the event. Senator Jamie Raskin (center), Council Member Nancy Navarro (right), Council Member Valerie Ervin and Delegate Tom Hucker (D-20) also spoke. George Leventhal staffer Dan Reed (behind Raskin) and former Duchy Trachtenberg staffer Richard Hoye (upper right) were noticed by many.

Now we think some of these spies were still woozy from all their snow shoveling. Every incumbent at-large Council Member is running for re-election. Some have lots of money, some have lots of supporters and some have both! Hans Riemer has a lot of hard work ahead of him, but so far he is off to a good start.