Two Prince George’s County residents have announced their candidacy for an upcoming special election to replace outgoing Councilwoman Leslie Johnson, who has already begun to retreat from council duties before officially resigning at the end of July. Mitchellville resident Derrick Leon Davis, a Democrat who lost to Johnson in September’s primary elections, told The Washington Examiner he will run for the seat again. Davis has already started a campaign site for “Team Davis 2011” and will formally announce his candidacy after filing campaign papers.
Arthur Turner of Kettering also will make another run for the seat after coming in third in the September primary.
Johnson, D-Mitchellville, announced her resignation Tuesday after pleading guilty June 30 to charges of conspiracy to commit federal witness and evidence tampering. She admitted to stuffing $79,600 in cash in her bra and underwear and flushing a $100,000 check down the toilet at the instruction of her husband, then-County Executive Jack Johnson.
Once Johnson leaves office, the council will have seven days to announce plans for a special primary election, which will likely determine the new council member since the district is overwhelmingly Democratic.
Johnson left a council meeting on Tuesday shortly before her fellow council members called for her immediate resignation and has not been seen at the county administration building since.
The councilwoman also withdrew her resolution to establish a financial literacy task force. The legislation had been scheduled for discussion at Wednesday’s fiscal management committee meeting, according to committee Chairman Will Campos, D-Hyattsville.
Davis is currently chairman of the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund, to which he’d been appointed by Gov. Martin O’Malley in 2007.
Davis, who had the endorsement of County Executive Rushern Baker in September’s primary election, said he has not received a formal nod from Baker for the special election, but has been planning a second run since Johnson’s arrest in November.
“I’ve kept my relationships fresh,” Davis said. “It takes the council and the county executive working together to propel the entire county forward.”
Turner, a 20-year community activist, owns his own marketing and consulting firm.
The special election will cost between $200,000 and $300,000, according to budget director Thomas Himler.
