Meet the new members: Johnny O makes the short trip to DC
The new member: Rep.-elect Johnny Olszewski (D-Md.)
How they got here: Olszewski won this blue-tinted seat, dispatching conservative Republican influencer Kimberly Klacik 58 percent to 40 percent. The two ran to replace longtime Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D).
Inside the campaign: Olszewski, the sitting Baltimore County executive, effectively cleared the Democratic primary field once he jumped into the contest following Ruppersberger’s decision to stand aside. He lined up endorsements from statewide Democratic luminaries like Sen. Chris Van Hollen, Sen.-elect Angela Alsobrooks, former Sen. Barbara Mikulski, Rep. Steny Hoyer and Ruppersberger.
He eventually won the primary with more than 78 percent of the votes.
The issues he’ll focus on: He pitched voters on bringing lessons learned from his years in local government to Washington. Olszewski vowed to lower the cost of living and ensure protection of reproductive rights, as well as touting his support for a bipartisan immigration bill that ultimately didn’t make it into law.
There’s also important matters locally, like securing federal funds to support reconstruction of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Background: Olszewski was a public school teacher and served in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2006 until 2015.
More recently, he won a contested 2018 primary (by 17 votes!) and became Baltimore County executive in December of that year. He won reelection to that position in 2022.
Campaign ad that caught our eye: A group of three voters, decked out in their Baltimore Orioles finest, championing their support for “Johnny Oooooooooo.”
Of note: You’ll see the Orioles gear a lot around Olszewski. (O’s, Johnny O, get it?) Most recently, Hill watchers saw him wearing an Orioles baseball cap for good luck during the House office lottery. (Though, much like the Orioles season, the end result was less than hoped for.)
We’re spotlighting new members during the transition. Want more? Meet Rep.-elect John McGuire (R-Va.).