FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 20, 2025

Sen. Cheryl C. Kagan

Del. Julie Palakovich Carr

Del. Joe Vogel

Del. Ryan Spiegel

District 17 Legislative Team Launches Joint Re-election Bid

(ANNAPOLIS, MD)  Senator Cheryl Kagan, Delegate Julie Palakovich Carr, Delegate Joe Vogel, and Delegate Ryan Spiegel will file for re-election today.  They will run together in 2026.

Representing Gaithersburg and Rockville, this legislative team is one of the most cohesive and collaborative in the Maryland General Assembly.

Sen. Cheryl Kagan, Vice Chair of Education, Energy & the Environment, has enacted legislation to upgrade our emergency systems to Next Generation 9-1-1; reform our election processes; support our valuable nonprofit sector; protect consumers; promote transparency; and more. She served eight years in the House, took a twelve-year gap, and has served in the Senate since 2015. Kagan serves on the Maryland State Arts Council and was just recognized by the MD Municipal League (again!).

Del. Julie Palakovich Carr was elected to the House in 2018. She is a Deputy Majority Whip, Chair of the Montgomery County House Delegation, and Chair of the Early Childhood Subcommittee on the House Ways and Means Committee. Julie has led on pedestrian and bicyclist safety, child care, and closing corporate tax loopholes.  More than 40 of the bills she sponsored are now law.  She is a former Rockville City Councilmember.

Del. Joe Vogel, elected in 2022, also serves on the Ways & Means Committee. He has sponsored and passed legislation to make investments in mental health; combat hate crimes; address the epidemic of fentanyl overdoses; respect the dignity of youth in the foster care system; boost tech entrepreneurship and climate innovation; and protect workers’ rights. Joe has focused on delivering common sense solutions by working in a bi-partisan way to advance his proposals.

Del. Ryan Spiegel, appointed in 2023, serves on the House Appropriations Committee. A former Gaithersburg City Councilmember and president of the Maryland Municipal League, Ryan also brings expertise as a seasoned attorney and Georgetown adjunct professor committed to constitutional legal principles, advancing financial empowerment for underserved Marylanders, and helping craft fiscally responsible budgets in challenging times.

The four incumbent legislators are pragmatic progressive Democrats, dedicated to advocating for reproductive rights, gun safety, climate solutions, effective public schools, housing affordability, civil rights, and economic development. They will continue to speak out against the cruel, short-sighted, and extreme policies and actions of the Trump Administration.

To enjoy a brief photo collage of District 17’s legislators, click here!