Kevin Kamenetz, right, passed away unexpectedly last week.

Kevin Kamenetz’s legacy in Baltimore County, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser talks everything from Initiative 77 to the streetcar on Kojo, the Post endorses David Blair for Montgomery County Executive, and more in our election link roundup. Want to stay on top of our 2018 election coverage? Sign up for our weekly newsletter!

Remembering Kamenetz
Kevin Kamenetz, one of the three frontrunners in the Democratic primary in the Maryland gubernatorial race, died suddenly of a heart attack last week. Kamenetz worked as a public servant in Baltimore County for 24 years, most recently serving two terms as county executive. He is credited for leading the redevelopment of the shuttered Sparrows Point steel mill, helping to develop downtown Towson, and for quietly forging an agreement for the county to spend millions of dollars to help build affordable housing in unaffordable neighborhoods. (Jean Marbella and Alison Knezevish / Baltimore Sun)

Donna Edwards urges Valerie Ervin to enter race
Kamenetz’s running mate, Valerie Ervin, has until tomorrow to decide whether to dissolve the campaign, choose a new candidate, or decide to run herself. She is reportedly seriously considering a run. Ervin was the first black woman elected to the Montgomery County Council. Donna Edwards, a former Democratic Maryland congresswoman who is running for county executive in Prince George’s County, is encouraging Ervin to run and “pick up where [Kamenetz] left off. (Paul Shwartzman and Arelis Hernández / Post)

Washington Post endorses David Blair for Montgomery County Executive
The Washington Post made a surprise endorsement of David Blair this week in the Montgomery County Executive race. This endorsement may help establish Blair as the primary alternative to front runner Marc Elrich. (Josh Kurtz / Maryland Matters)

Marc Elrich on socialism and “responsible growth”
Marc Elrich takes issue with the (frankly silly) idea that he is a “socialist” and outlines his vision for “responsible growth” in Montgomery County in a new blog post. His vision prioritizes resident input and seems to consider any additional market-rate housing as a major burden on existing residents. As such, he thinks concessions must be exacted from any new development. (Marc Elrich / Seventh State)

Bowser on Kojo
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser went on Politics Hour to discuss constituent funds, crime, anti-Semitism, police brutality, stop and frisk, and various Department of Education scandals. Bowser also defended her record on the streetcar to a caller, promised to deliver on the Benning Road expansion, and was supportive of eventually expanding west to Georgetown. Bowser suggested that as DC grows, it needs to continue to invest in public transportation and to get people out of cars. “We’re 700,000 people in Washington, which is a good thing. And every one of those people won’t be able to drive.” (The Kojo Nnamdi Show)

Bowser and Mendelson oppose tipped minimum wage initiative
On the same Kojo appearance, Bowser came out against ballot Initiative 77, which would incrementally raise the tipped minimum wage for restaurant workers until it equaled the general minimum wage in 2026. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson also opposes the referendum while his opponent, Ed Lazere, supports it. As a reminder, the initiative will appear on the June 19 primary election ballot and all registered DC voters are eligible to vote on it. (Andrew Giambrone / City Paper)

Steal his rival's signs? Lowery says “lie”
Jeremiah Lowery, a candidate for an At-Large seat on the DC Council, has been accused of removing a rival’s campaign signs from a private property. Steuart Martens — a business owner, onetime contestant on The Apprentice, and “good buddy” of candidate Marcus Goodwin — claims to have caught Lowery in the act of trashing his Goodwin signs. Lowery denies any involvement in the incident: “It’s a lie, an absolute lie.” (Andrew Giambrone / City Paper)