CORRECTION, APOLOGY, AND A HUMBLE PIE MOMENT
Every now and then, even those of us who live knee‑deep in Prince George’s County politics have to stop, wipe the ink off our hands, and admit we missed a spot. Consider this my moment.
In my earlier piece about the “when they get what they want, they get what they deserve” maneuvering around the bill to eliminate the at‑large seats, I wrote — correctly — that if the bill passes and Jolene Ivey wins her 2026 race (which, let’s be honest, is the likeliest outcome), she could serve through the 2030 election but would not be eligible to run again at‑large. That part stands.
But here’s where I owe readers — and Jolene — a hearty, apology.
Because in my rush to point out that this whole thing is a “spike Jolene” special, I focused on the County Executive angle and forgot something obvious enough that I should probably be sentenced to writing with a broken keyboard for a week.
Jolene would also be eligible to return to her home base: District 5.
Yes, the same District 5 she represented with distinction before moving to the at‑large seat. If the at‑large positions are eliminated in 2030, she would no longer be term‑limited there. She could run again. She could serve two more full terms. And she could do it against the current incumbent, Shayla Adams‑Stafford.
Now, this next part is my opinion — and only my opinion — but it’s an opinion shared by an overwhelming number of residents who’ve been watching the council’s recent behavior with raised eyebrows and lowered expectations.
Shayla has not carved out an independent identity on the council.
Many residents see her as voting too closely with the majority bloc that has been catching heat for expensive, unpopular, or head‑scratching decisions. And in politics, fair or not, when the public is frustrated with the majority, they don’t always distinguish between the architects and the accomplices.
That’s why, in my view, Jolene would have no trouble beating her if she chose to return to District 5. The council’s spending patterns — which some residents describe as “drunken sailor budgeting” — aren’t helping Shayla’s standing either. If that continues, the political ground under her feet only gets softer.
One long time Prince George's County observer told me that Shayla is popular and has money but in a head-to-head race between Jolene and Shayla. Jolene would crush her like a bug on a windshield at 75 mph, splat...
So yes, I apologize for the oversight. Jolene wouldn’t just be positioned for a County Executive run. She’d also have a perfectly viable — and frankly formidable — path back to District 5.
And if certain members of the council think eliminating the at‑large seats is a clever way to sideline her, they may want to consider the possibility that they’re actually opening two doors instead of closing one.
Sometimes when people get what they want, they really do get what they deserve.
