After Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III gave his first stump speech of his bid for Maryland governor late last month, hundreds of supporters milled about, shaking hands and congregating.
One of those individuals, Prince George’s State’s Attorney Angela Alsobrooks, chatted with Daryl Curry, the brother of the late former County Executive Wayne K. Curry.
Alsobrooks told Curry she would need some support.
“I got you,” Curry said with a smile.
Alsobrooks, the first black woman elected as state’s attorney in the county, seeks to become the first woman ever to serve as county executive. She announced her bid for the Democratic nomination in a Facebook post Friday and will make a formal announcement Monday at her parents’ home in Camp Springs.
“I’m ready for this,” Alsobrooks, 46, said in a July 14 interview. “It’s been the greatest honor of my life to serve for Prince George’s County.”
Her top three priorities: increase government services such as trash pickup, maintain safe communities by trusting law enforcement and push for higher-paying jobs so parents can support and spend more time with their children.
The Prince George’s native will run against state Sen. C. Anthony Muse, 59, who has spent two decades in the Maryland General Assembly and was elected to the state Senate in 2006, who in June declared a bid for the seat that will be vacant once Baker’s term expires next year.
There’s also a possibility former Rep. Donna Edwards (D-Maryland) could seek the county executive position, but she may not decide until Labor Day.
As for Alsobrooks, she credits her management and business knowledge during her time as executive director of the county’s Revenue Authority from 2003 to 2010.
Afterward, she got elected in 2010 as state’s attorney and became the youngest ever elected to the position.
For the past seven years, she leads an office of more than 200 people as one of a handful of black prosecutors in the country.
Through her office, she visited schools, held sisterhood conferences and been the county’s face to combat domestic violence.
“I’m proud to represent people who have been victimized in a number of areas, including domestic violence,” she said. “I believe very, very strongly in family. That’s the central issue for me. The tone is always set from the top.”
The county executive’s office has taken some criticism the past year in terms of supporting Prince George’s County Public Schools leadership, including CEO Kevin Maxwell.
The Maryland Board of Education will conduct an investigation into allegations the Prince George’s school system allegedly boosted grades to increase the graduation rate. Maxwell has said he welcomes the investigate, but denied the accusations levied against the school system.
Muse has said he plans to introduce legislation when the Maryland General Assemble reconvenes in January for the county school board chair and vice chair to be appointed by their colleagues and not the county executive.
“The question is not what’s best for the adults who are elected, or what sort of power structure is important,” Alsobrooks said. “Our children are not a political football and I think that has to be clear to everybody. What do we do to support the children in the classroom? That’s my interest.”