Onion Ballot: Gaithersburg 2025 Endorsements
The Montgonion Onion Ballot proudly endorses all three incumbents in the City of Gaithersburg’s 2025 municipal election:
✔ Jud Ashman — Mayor
✔ Lisa Henderson — City Council
✔ Jim McNulty — City Council
The Gaithersburg election is scheduled for Tuesday, November 4, 2025.
Left-to-right: Ashman, Henderson and McNulty. Photo credit: City of Gaithersburg election webpage.
Why Jud Ashman Deserves Another Term
Over the past few decades, Gaithersburg has quietly become one of the best-run municipalities in Maryland. Since taking the mayor’s seat in 2014, Jud Ashman has delivered pragmatic, effective governance that blends economic growth with a genuine sense of community.
Ashman joined the Gaithersburg City Council in 2007, when Sidney Katz was Mayor. Katz served 16 years in the top office, and Ashman took over when Katz was elected to the County Council. The 27-year Katz-Ashman stretch of leadership has worked out well for Gaithersburg.
Ashman is the city’s longest-serving elected official, but his accomplishments aren’t measured by his longevity. Gaithersburg has added jobs, reduced commercial vacancy, and revitalized local business through targeted incentives. Lakeforest Mall is on its way to becoming a mixed-use hub and a future model for adaptive reuse across Montgomery County. Ashman has maintained balanced budgets without tax hikes and preserved a AAA bond rating, even through the pandemic. Gaithersburg's police department does not suffer the outrageous vacancy rates that plague MCPD because the city's leadership under Ashman has consistently supported them. The city has also enjoyed expanded public safety, environmental programs, and cultural events.
In recent days, we have seen Ashman’s administration unleash a swam of resources for furloughed government employees without instilling the panic shrouding similar local government efforts. This is the sixth Federal shutdown he has seen while on the Council. In a city where nearly 10 percent of residents are civilian federal employees, that experience is invaluable as evidenced by Ashman’s measured response.
The Case for Henderson and McNulty
Lisa Henderson and Jim McNulty came to the Gaithersburg council four years ago as relative newcomers to political life. Henderson, a Program Director for Montgomery County, wanted to diversify the city’s government. “When I saw who was running for reelection and it was only men and no one of color, that was a concern for me personally,” Henderson told Bethesda Today. McNulty felt compelled toward civic duty after surviving a hostage crisis in 2010, for which he credited Montgomery County police. Freshman citizen legislators like Henderson and McNulty have four years to figure it all out and prove they have what it takes to lead another term. Both cut the mustard.
Henderson, a resident of 29 years, has leveraged her extensive civil service experience, where she develops data-driven solutions for criminal justice and public safety, to advocate effectively for Gaithersburg's interests. Her role as Treasurer of the Montgomery County Chapter of the Maryland Municipal League has opened doors to collaboration with other cities, the county, and the state. With a focus on affordable housing, sustainable development, and transparent leadership, Henderson's thoughtful decision-making, responsive approach, and friendly demeanor have proven just right for the Council and for Gaithersburg.
Jim McNulty's dedication to making the city safer, stronger, and more connected was evident early on, drawing from 16 years as a resident and a diverse background in community leadership. He has delivered tangible accomplishments, such as securing a larger central green space in the Lakeforest Mall redevelopment, implementing the first radon testing requirement for multifamily housing, enhancing street safety near schools, and preserving affordable housing while guiding smart growth. He offers a unique perspective as the only elected official from Gaithersburg's east side, representing some of the most disadvantaged neighborhoods in the county. McNulty has emerged as a trusted, practical leader ready to advance Gaithersburg's prosperity.
Why the Challengers Fall Short (or Don’t)
Tiffany Kelly lacks the depth of experience needed to run what is literally the "most diverse city" in America. Her campaign has espoused progressive generalities but offered few policy specifics or substance. Kelly spends more time criticizing Trump administration policies than offering real solutions for Gaithersburg. Her rhetoric leaves moderates and independents out in the cold. Her talk about rent stabilization and “housing equity” echo Montgomery County’s top-down housing experiments—policies that have produced little affordability but plenty of bureaucracy and a stall in development. Gaithersburg’s success has come from balance: incentivizing growth while embedding affordability into redevelopment projects, not through blunt regulatory tools. A relatively new resident (arriving in 2021), Kelly also lacks the local grounding necessary for the mayorship.
Council candidate Chris Thoms, 26, is an impressive, up-and-comer in Montgomery County politics. A nearly life-long Gaithersburg resident, he graduated from Quince Orchard High School and then UMBC. After graduating, he landed a job in legislative affairs for the State of Maryland. Thoms has been active on Gaithersburg committees for a few years. His campaign website lays out his priorities and policies clearly and succinctly: more MDUs and no rent control; more and better paid police; better roads and infrastructure; reduce red tape and fees so businesses can grow; and ensure MCPS attendance maps correspond to geography and neighborhood needs. Thoms’ platform is appealing to Montgomery County’s moderates and independents and should be less scary to Republicans than most county politicians. If it wasn’t for the strength of the incumbents, he would get our endorsement. Gaithersburg would be a great launching pad for his political career, and we hope we see his name on the ballot in the next municipal election in 2027.
Council candidate Omodamola Williams, a 7-year Gaithersburg resident, is a passionate, persuasive community activist. We admire his hutzpah, especially when he stands up against the county’s political machine. We share his opinion that open government and transparency are top issues. Where we diverge in on the substance. His continued advocacy for rent control in the face of alarming county statistics shows an unwillingness to face facts and pivot to a new strategy. As a candidate he has made rookie mistakes that demonstrate a lack of overall organizational experience. He describes his 2023 county council bid as an impulsive decision. His late outreach to the Democratic Socialists of America and CASA failed to win endorsements in the Gaithersburg contest. William is not ready for prime time yet, but with growing campaign experience and community recognition he will likely be seen on future ballots.
Veering Out of Our Lane
The Montgonion is drawn to outsiders, reformers, and candidates who challenge the cozy political circles in Montgomery County's one-party echo chamber. If this endorsement feels like an exception to our usual instincts, that’s because Gaithersburg itself is exceptional. Its local government functions—a rare statement in this county. The city’s stability and progress stem from leaders who know their community, stay grounded, and resist the dysfunctions that plague Montgomery County government.
Continuity isn’t complacency when the results are strong. It is the maintenance of a civic culture that works. Jud Ashman, Lisa Henderson, and Jim McNulty have earned another term not because they are incumbents—but because they are effective incumbents.
The Onion Ballot’s mission is not blind opposition; it is discernment. We support candidates who demonstrate independence of thought, competence in execution, and tangible results for residents. Our anti-machine stance is about accountability, not hostility toward experience. You remove incumbents when they fail—not when they succeed.
Mayor Ashman has kept his posture remarkably un-machine-like: open, engaged, and locally focused. Unlike many long-serving officials, he hasn’t drifted into arrogance or detachment. His administration is accessible, efficient, and still deeply connected to the city’s everyday life. In other words, he has managed to be a veteran without becoming a bureaucrat. McNulty and Henderson have likewise maintained their integrity and purpose in serving the best interests of Gaithersburg and have proven effective leaders.
An Endorsement with an Addendum
Rumor has it Jud Ashman is considering a run for the County Council district seat that term-limited Sidney Katz will vacate next year. If he does, that would be a huge loss for Gaithersburg, and a huge gain for Montgomery County. Some might argue that Gaithersburg would be better off with a mayor fully committed to serving four-years, and therefore Kelly should get the nod. We agree a candidate should have that commitment; however, Gaithersburg has a deep bench. In addition to McNulty and Henderson, council members Neil Harris, Yamil Hernadez and Robert Wu have the leadership experience to fill a mayoral vacancy without disrupting the city’s continuity or introducing controversial new directions. Any of them would be a better alternative to Kelly.
