The competitive race for Baltimore County executive is an expensive one, with four Democratic candidates combining to raise about $1.3 million over the past year, according to campaign finance reports released late Wednesday.

Councilman Julian Jones, a Woodstock Democrat and the first Black candidate vying for the office, led the pack, raising around $461,800 from Jan. 9, 2025, to Jan. 14, 2026.

Jones’ main competition for the nomination has long been thought to be his council colleague Izzy Patoka of Pikesville. Patoka raised about $328,300 in the same period.

But Nick Stewart, a former school board member and financial attorney who is waging an outsider bid, outraised Patoka for 2025. He brought in $400,700.

A fourth candidate, Councilman Pat Young, is the first county executive candidate to use public financing, which the County Council approved in 2021. The Catonsville Democrat raised $81,200, all from individuals who contributed no more than $250 each, but is set to receive an influx of public funds.

“I would just tell people to grab the popcorn, because this is going to be a fun race,” former County Executive Don Mohler said. “Settle in and pay attention. I think there will be a lot of twists and turns going forward.”

The new hauls add to the roughly $660,000 that Patoka, Young and Jones raised in the previous annual period, which ended in January 2025. Stewart just completed his first year of fundraising.

County Executive Kathy Klausmeier, whom council appointed to the job after Johnny Olszewski Jr. became a U.S. representative last January, is not seeking a full term.

Whoever prevails in the June 23 Democratic primary will be a heavy favorite in the general election — Democrats outnumber Republicans more than 2-to-1 in Baltimore County.

A newcomer to politics

Stewart, who entered the county executive race with a pro-housing campaign that focuses on affordability and revitalizing older neighborhoods, is working with Adeo Advocacy LLC, the same women-led fundraising team that helped elect Democratic Gov. Wes Moore.

But Stewart, who has never held an elected office, cannot build on years of fundraising the way his rivals can.

Both Patoka and Jones began last year with more than $1 million cash on hand. As of Jan. 14, Patoka had $1.4 million to spend and Jones had $1.1 million. That’s a lot of yard signs.

Stewart had about $239,500 cash on hand. Young had $48,700.

All four candidates have enough resources to compete, Mohler said.

“Obviously, advantage goes to both Izzy and to Julian,” he said. “But each of the four candidates, it seems to me, has enough money to run a viable campaign.”

A publicly financed candidate

Young, a folksy combat veteran, was the first Baltimore County executive candidate to declare he would seek public financing.

Under that 2021 law, passed one year before Young won his council seat, the maximum contribution anyone can make is $250. Young needed to collect $50,000 in small donations from at least 550 county residents and could not take money from organizations such as labor unions.

He appears to have hit both benchmarks, collecting around $65,000 in qualifying small contributions from 590 contributors. More than half of his contributions were $50 or less.

By comparison, contributions of $250 or less made up roughly two-thirds of Patoka’s donations and about 61% of Jones’ and Stewart’s.

Once the state certifies Young’s contributors, the county can dispense money. Young asked for about $218,000 in public contributions.

Other candidates and races

With four viable candidates, the Democratic primary could be the most expensive executive race in Baltimore County history.

Among Republicans, Patrick Dyer, a Timonium businessman, raised $24,900 last year, about $15,700 from his own pocket and the rest from businesses. His competitor, Kim Stansbury, raised $4,800, almost entirely from individual donations.

Independent Rob Daniels raised about $3,600 and loaned himself another $2,200.

In the Baltimore County state’s attorneys race, challenger Sarah David raised $202,200, 5 1/2 times more than incumbent Scott Shellenberger. Another candidate, Lauren Lipscomb, trailed both of them.