Tawes in a Tight Spot: Democrats Tussle in Montgomery County

In a bizarre display of party politics, the Democratic primary in Montgomery County’s 13th Wheaton election district got off to a rocky start last night, November 17, 1961. The Executive Committee of the district Democratic Club asked Governor Theodore McKeldin Tawes to run for re-election, citing his excellent second term service. However, President William F. Fadler Jr. claimed that this didn’t constitute an official endorsement.

But others saw it differently. Willard Morris, a member of the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, believed it sounded like a Tawes endorsement. Morris, visibly upset, protested that the club should wait to see who was running before making any endorsements.

Thomas Not Mad Howard Thomas, Montgomery County manager and a supporter of gubernatorial candidate George P. Mahoney, also thought it sounded like an endorsement. Thomas, unfazed by the controversy, left the meeting to attend a church-sponsored dance.

President Fadler, a known Tawes partisan, admitted that the resolution did have a suspiciously similar tone to an endorsement, but he insisted that the club couldn’t officially endorse Tawes.

The drama unfolded at a crucial time in the election season, leaving many wondering what this development would mean for the Democratic primary.

As the dust settled, one thing was clear: the Democratic primary in Montgomery County’s 13th Wheaton election district was off to a heated start.