McNulty Announces Key Endorsements
GAITHERSBURG, Md.—Gaithersburg City Council Candidate Jim McNulty received a key endorsement today from incumbent City Councilmember Neil H. Harris. Harris joins fellow incumbent Councilmember Robert T. Wu and former Councilmember Yvette Monroe in vocally supporting McNulty’s campaign.
McNulty is seeking one of two open seats on the Gaithersburg City Council this November, following the decision by both Councilmember Michael Sesma and Laurie-Anne Sayles not to seek reelection.
“I got to know Jim well during his campaign for city council a few years back,” Harris said in his Facebook post, announcing the endorsement. “It’s a testament to his sincere desire for community service that he stayed involved, not only with the Saybrooke HOA but as a member, and now chairman, of the city’s Olde Towne Advisory Committee, which has become a powerhouse since his term began. His ongoing input regarding issues facing the city is always thoughtful and valued by me and my colleagues.”
Harris is an experienced community and business leader, and has served on the Gaithersburg City Council since his appointment in 2014 following the vacancy created by then-City Councilmember Jud Ashman’s appointment to succeed Sidney Katz as the Mayor of Gaithersburg. Harris was elected to a full term in 2015 and reelected in 2019. Since joining the council, Neil has focused on a number of issues including fiscal responsibility, regional transportation, school funding, and public safety.
“I’m incredibly grateful to Neil for his support and endorsement,” McNulty said, “and I’m excited for the chance to serve together with him on the council.”
Harris is the third notable elected official or former elected official to announce their support for McNulty’s campaign. Harris’s colleague on the Gaithersburg City Council, Robert T. Wu, announced his support for McNulty on September 18.
Jim McNulty with Gaithersburg City Councilmember Robert T. Wu (right) during the 2021 National Night out Against Crime in the Kentlands.
“Jim is smart, independent-minded, and focused in the right way on the issues,” Wu said in his Facebook post. “He also brings great experience from his time on the Saybrooke HOA and serving the City on the Transportation Committee.”
Like Harris, Wu was first elected to the City Council in 2015 and reelected in 2019. Wu spent more than 20 years with the U.S. Army and Army Reserves, where he served as a Judge Advocate.
Former Councilmember Yvette Monroe was the first to throw her support behind McNulty, hosting the campaign’s kickoff meeting at her residence at Gaithersburg Station in Olde Towne back in June. The two met during the 2017 election campaign, when Monroe lost her bid to retain the seat to which she was appointed following the death of Councilmember Henry Marraffa in 2016.
Gaithersburg’s Municipal Elections are November 2, 2021, with early voting October 23-24. Applications for Mail-In Ballots were sent to all registered voters in the city in early September, and can also be downloaded on the city’s website.
For more information about Jim McNulty’s Campaign, visit jimmcnulty.org.
For more information about the City of Gaithersburg’s Election, visit gaithersburgmd.gov.
Gaithersburg City Councilmember Neil H. Harris (left) with Jim McNulty at McNulty’s Campaign Fundraiser during the soft opening of South House Garden in Olde Town Gaithersburg.
