Gaithersburg City Council Members Endorse Hans Riemer

Four of five members of the Gaithersburg City Council have endorsed Hans Riemer, a sign that his campaign is spreading out far from District 5 (where Riemer ran in 2006). We are skeptical that any incumbent other than Marc Elrich will be able match this particular endorsement. Furthermore, we see that Roger Berliner's Chief of Staff, Cindy Gibson, is now listed as one of Riemer's supporters. Does that mean something?

Following is Riemer's press release.

Gaithersburg City Councilmembers Endorse Hans Riemer for County Council
Mike Sesma: "Hans will be a leader among leaders on the County Council."

For Immediate Release
August 6, 2010

Contact: Ken Silverman, Campaign Manager
240-389-4276 or ken@hansriemer.com

GAITHERSBURG - Four members of the Gaithersburg City Council endorsed Hans Riemer for Montgomery County Council At Large today. A strong advocate for the Corridor Cities Transitway and other public transportation in Gaithersburg and the rest of northern Montgomery County, Hans Riemer will work closely with Upcounty communities to bring transit, protect the Agricultural Reserve and improve our quality of life.

“I support Hans Riemer because he is a strong supporter of transit. We need more transit in more areas of the County and I think Hans will help us achieve that,” said Cathy Drzyzgula, Vice President of the Gaithersburg City Council.

“I'm excited about the ideas and energy Hans Riemer brings to our County. As a strong advocate for transit as well as fiscal responsibility, Hans is ready to lead us in the right direction,” said Councilmember Jud Ashman.

“Having worked with Hans for several years going back to the Young Democrats and the Obama Campaign, I know firsthand that Hans is a terrific listener, community organizer, and leader. He will be a great asset on the County Council, and will work hard for all the people of our County,” said Councilmember Ryan Spiegel.

“Hans Riemer understands that creating economic sustainability in Montgomery County requires proactive approaches to regional transportation, creating and strengthening livable communities and reality-based fiscal discipline. Hans will be a leader among leaders on this county council because he knows it's not just about jobs, it’s about everything," said Councilmember Michael Sesma.

Councilmembers Drzyzgula, Ashman, Spiegal and Sesma join other municipal officials in supporting Hans Riemer, including Mayor Pete Fosselman of Kensington, Mayor Darrell Anderson of Washington Grove and Councilmember Josh Wright of Takoma Park along with County Councilmembers Valerie Ervin and Nancy Navarro, Senator Jamie Raskin, Delegates Kathleen Dumais, Brian Feldman, Bill Frick, Sheila Hixson, Tom Hucker, Karen Montgomery and Kirill Reznik, the Washington Post, the Sierra Club, the Montgomery County Education Association and many others.

"Community input is absolutely essential for the Council to make effective and fair decisions, especially when the character of a community is on the line. That's why I'm very gratified to have the support of these Gaithersburg Councilmembers, along with so many others across the County," Riemer said. "Working together, we will protect our schools and forge a more sustainable future for everyone."

A veteran of President Obama's national campaign staff, Hans Riemer has spent the last two years working on pension reform and community engagement at AARP while advocating for protecting Metro and Ride On and building the Purple Line and CCT here in Montgomery County. He was a key leader in assembling the national campaign to stop President Bush from privatizing Social Security. Hans and his wife Angela live in Silver Spring with their three year old son Henry.

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