Kent Roberson, chair of the Prince George’s County Democratic Central Committee, is leading the contest to replace Del. Darryl Barnes (D), who is stepping down from his District 25 seat to join a lobbying and government relations firm in Annapolis after serving in the General Assembly since 2015.
State Sen. Melony Griffith (D-Prince George’s), a member of the District 25 delegation, said in an interview that she is offering her support to Roberson, 38, because of his involvement in local matters, his communication with the delegation and the fact that voters twice selected him to helm the committee — first in 2018 with nearly 52 percent of the vote and again, unopposed, in 2022.
“Kent was elected twice by the voters of District 25 to represent them,” she said. “While others may have been elected to other offices, he was specifically elected by our same voters. He has demonstrated that he is willing and able to work with our team on behalf of the citizens that together we represent.”
Roberson, a Prince George’s County native who expressed deep admiration for its reputation as a destination for Black upward mobility, said he has gained the backing of Barnes. The outgoing delegate did not immediately return a request for comment.
Roberson, a father of three who works as senior manager of government relations for the Corn Refiners Association, also said that his unpaid role as the central committee’s chair solidified the importance of building relationships for a better Prince George’s County and that it taught him to manage different personalities while striving toward a common a goal.
“Taking that background into this new position, I believe it’s key to being successful as a delegate,” he said in an interview.
Roberson has faced election losses, most recently to Lolita Walker in a bid to represent District 9 on the Prince George’s County Board of Education. He also had an unsuccessful run for a District 25 seat in 2018, receiving just over 6 percent of the Democratic primary vote against Barnes, Nick Charles and Dereck E. Davis, who is now serving as state treasurer.
If selected, Roberson said he would like to work on improving the federal farm bill’s impact on Maryland — especially in his district; help reduce congestion in the county as the number of residents continues to rise; and to assist in making voting more accessible throughout the state.
He also said that he would step down from the central committee if selected and that he has not had a hand in reviewing the applications for the vacancy. But the process has elicited questions from participants, and some pulled out after conversations with committee leaders.
“Politics — sometimes you have to be a team player,” said Johnathan Medlock, a former County Council member who said he decided to step aside.
The chances of winning against Roberson this time also led former New York public servant Antoine Thompson to sit out, Thompson said in an interview.
Former delegate Angela M. Angel, who represented the district from 2015 to 2019, said she was discouraged by a central committee member who told her that the committee votes were already counted with Roberson shown to be the likely victor.
“[The District 25 successor] is basically serving a full term almost as if they were duly elected,” Angel said. “Who have the people supported? Who is the most qualified to be in this position? That’s what we should be having an honest conversation about.”
Party central committees are used across districts to determine nominees who will be forwarded to the governor to fill vacancies, so how one is selected isn’t unique to Prince George’s County.
Although many lawmakers believe that legislators should be “elected by voters rather than selected by the Democratic Central Committee,” changing how the procedure is done has yet win support in the General Assembly, said state Sen. Cheryl C. Kagan (D-Montgomery).
Kagan said there have been efforts to have special elections or to have elections for vacancies in presidential years for more accountability and voter engagement.
“I can’t read 187 colleagues’ minds, but it’s, it’s much easier to kill a bill than it is to pass one,” she said when asked about why such efforts haven’t passed yet. Choosing who will fill an opening is also about timing and ensuring that a delegation’s voice is as powerful as possible, she said.
Stanley Onye, who has been a candidate previously for a District 25 seat, said he’s still running despite the odds being against him. Onye, who emigrated from Nigeria in the 1970s and has raised children in Prince George’s, said that the county needs more resources and that he wants to bring an African immigrant voice to Annapolis.
He said he will accept Roberson’s selection if he wins and will wish him well, though it will leave a bitter taste.
“If they want to keep tossing positions around among them, fine. There is nothing wrong with that, it is their right,” Onye said.