More News

The wife of 73-year-old Prince George's County Councilman Samuel L. Dean (D-Dist. 6) of Mitchellville announced the councilman will run for county executive in the 2010 election in an e-mail to supporters.

Donna Dean sent the e-mail Aug. 6 to county residents. He is the second person to announce plans to seek the office that will be vacated by Jack B. Johnson (D), who is prevented from seeking re-election to the office because of term limits. Two-time candidate Rushern L. Baker III announced in May 2008 his plans to run again.

"Sam (we) has made the decision to run to become the next county executive," Dean's wife wrote in the e-mail.

Neither Dean nor his wife immediately responded to a call for comment Tuesday to their home. The County Council is on recess until September.

In the e-mail, Dean's wife said he is running based on encouragement from supporters and God.

The decision came after "extended prayer for Divine Guidance and our belief that this undertaking is the next step in God's purpose for our lives," Donna Dean wrote

Dean, who has served as council president twice since he was elected in 2002, has lived in Prince George's County since 1975. He has played a pivotal role on the council and has served as the group's liaison to Johnson. Council members and the county executive are limited to two terms.

Other rumored candidates include county State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey, county Sheriff Michael A. Jackson and state Sen. C. Anthony Muse (D-Dist. 26) of Fort Washington.

E-mail Daniel Valentine at dvalentine@gazette.net.