Members of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee chose Gaithersburg City Councilmember Ryan Spiegel to fill the delegate seat vacated by Kumar Barve, who has joined the Gov. Wes Moore administration.
Spiegel won on the second ballot Tuesday night. He garnered 12 votes to Johvet Lopez’s 10. Lopez is an organizer for the Montgomery County Education Association.
Fourteen people originally applied for the position, including Montgomery County Board of Education Member Rebecca Smondrowski. She did not make it past the first ballot.
During the special committee meeting, the candidates were asked questions about their fiscal priorities, ranked choice voting and food insecurity, among others.
Spiegel, who has been a city councilmember since 2007, joins District 17 Senator Cheryl Kagan and Delegates Julie Palakovich Carr and Joe Vogel in representing residents of Gaithersburg and Rockville.
Before he can be seated, Spiegel must now be appointed by Moore.
Vogel was elected by the voters in November of 2022. He since has declared his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives in the seat currently held by Rep. David Trone.
Spiegel is a partner in the law firm Thompson Hine LLP. He is married and has two children.
Council President Evan Glass tweeted that Spiegel “is going to make an outstanding delegate!”
Council Vice President Andrew Friedson tweeted his congratulations “for coming out ahead of a talented and dedicated field of candidates,” noting that he has big shoes to fill with the departure of former Del. Barve.
Congratulations to Ryan Spiegel (@RySpiegel) on winning the MCDCC's nomination for appointment by Governor Moore to represent District 17 in the Maryland House of Delegates. pic.twitter.com/pTMgnAlnIE
— Montgomery County (MD) Democratic Party (@mcdcc) June 14, 2023
Congratulations to @GburgMD Councilmember @RySpiegel , who earned the votes to be nominated to serve in the House of Delegates to succeed @KumarBarve! Many thanks to the other applicants for their thoughtful efforts. #D17Dems pic.twitter.com/gEBcrSthd0
— Cheryl C. Kagan (@CherylKagan) June 14, 2023
Last night, @mcdcc officially voted to nominate me as the next State Delegate representing #Gaithersburg and #Rockville in the Md. legislature. Assuming @iamwesmoore accepts it, I will be leaving the @GburgMD city council after 16 years. Humbled, honored, excited, grateful. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/HEBQxW6WkD
— Ryan Spiegel (@RySpiegel) June 14, 2023
