Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson isn’t making a secret of the fact he wants to continue his career in politics after his term expires next year.
He’s told local media that he’s strongly considering a run for statewide office in 2010, and hasn’t ruled out taking on Gov. Martin O’Malley, who is preparing to campaign for a second term.
But Johnson’s chances of success on a statewide level, either in a run for the governor’s mansion or another elected office, range somewhere between slim and none, according to political experts.
“That’s going to be a steep hill for him,” said Matthew Crenson, professor emeritus of political science at Johns Hopkins University.
No statewide incumbent has said he or she won’t run, and those politicians, including O’Malley and Sen. Barbara Mikulski, are more popular and much better known in Maryland than Johnson, experts said.
“Outside of the D.C. suburbs, I doubt that many people have heard of him,” Crenson said.
And inside his county, Jackson’s political support isn’t rock solid. He faced unexpectedly strong opposition during the Democratic primary in 2006 and has many vocal critics who feel he’s been a poor leader on many issues, including public safety and education.
He’s also faced criticism for awarding county contracts to his supporters and using county funds for trips to Africa.
“I do not think Jack Johnson’s job performance warrants higher office,” said Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo. Calvo has been highly critical of Jackson’s response to a botched SWAT raid on Calvo’s house in which the county law enforcement officers killed two black Laboradors. The incident has drawn international outrage at what many see is an abuse of police powers.
Johnson, who served as a state’s attorney before becoming county executive, did not return a call seeking comment for this story. But he told the Gazette earlier this year that the county’s done “significantly well” under his leadership, and touted his efforts to improve school test scores, drive down crime, and spur economic development.
“I really think we have a great opportunity to win,” Johnson said.
And though the experts don’t agree, they say that Johnson’s willingness to show that he’s interested in a statewide office isn’t necessarily a fool’s errand.
“He’s a politician,” said Ronald Walters, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Maryland. “The thing to do is to keep your options in case something arose. You can never tell in politics.”
