Montgomery Township Supervisor Tanya Bamford has officially launched a campaign seeking one of two Democrat nominations for Montgomery County Commissioner in the upcoming May primary election.
Bamford, 54, a marketing executive with R/A Marketing, became the first Democrat to ever be elected to the Montgomery Township Board of Supervisors in 2017, and also served three years as the township supervisors chairwoman. Since her initial election, the Montgomery Township board has since transitioned to a full slate of five Democrat female supervisors.
“Montgomery County deserves a leader who will approach the challenges facing our community with creativity, optimism, and enthusiasm – someone who will not only govern well but will be fully present and put in the hard work to ensure the needs of our entire county are met,” Bamford said. “I am so proud of the team we’ve built and the work we’ve accomplished in Montgomery Township, and I’m ready to bring the same energy to serving the entirety of Montgomery County.”
In addition to her role in Montgomery Township, Bamford also represents Montgomery County on the Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee and serves on the Foundation Board for Montgomery County Community College.
Bamford is joining a crowded field of candidates for the Democratic primary election in May, which includes recently appointed Montgomery County Commissioner Jamila Winder, who filled the vacancy left by former Montgomery County Commissioner Chair Dr. Val Arkoosh after taking a position with the Shapiro Administration.
Winder is the only endorsed candidate in the five-person field, which also includes:
“Competitive primaries like this one are capable of doing two things to the Democratic Party: displaying our greatest strengths and exposing our greatest weaknesses. As we step up to choose the next generation of leadership for Montgomery County, I am hopeful that our party is able to remain focused on our shared values,” Bamford said. “The strength and depth of this field of candidates should be a source of pride, rather than a source of divisiveness. May this race become a valued moment of reflection for local progressives and an exciting opportunity for us to come together to redefine our priorities.”
The five candidates are vying for two nominations to run as Democrat candidates for two seats in the November general election.
On the Republican side of the primary election, there are no direct ties to the North Penn area.
Current incumbent county commissioner Joe Gale, 33, of Plymouth Meeting, is seeking reelection to another four-year term, however his reelection campaign comes without the endorsement of his party — something he said he did not seek. Gale, who has never shied away from criticizing the Montgomery County Republican Committee, will face off against a pair of endorsed Republican candidates in May, which includes:
Each party will select two candidates for nomination in the May primary election, and those four combined candidates will square off for three county commissioner seats — two majority and minority — in the November general election.
