Talking "post-personality politics" with Debbie Spielberg
Comms Take: Leading with voters, issues, and outcomes
I had lunch this week with Debbie Spielberg, the long-time Montgomery County official now running for the District 1 Council seat. She’s thoughtful, deeply experienced, and — in her words — motivated by “what government can do in the public interest.”
That mission is central to her campaign. With 15 years in county government — and more in the national arena — she believes she knows how to make the machinery work better for residents.
“I want to plan for the future with the people who live here now,” she told me. “I’ve thought a lot about ‘good government.’ It isn’t just listening — it’s hearing, understanding, and acting.”
But that same experience creates a unique messaging challenge for her: She’s closely associated with County Executive Marc Elrich, who is term-limited in his current office and running for an at-large Council seat.
The easy narrative would be to suggest that she’s either riding his coattails or running away from him. But talking to her, it’s clear that she’s carving her own lane based on a voter-driven agenda, not anyone else’s priorities.
In the past decade, political brands and personas have left voters wanting more. But what I’m seeing here is messaging that reflects “post-personality politics” — where engaging constituents and moving the government’s gears promise results.
It’s a savvy approach. As Debbie officially kicks off her campaign this weekend, I’ll be watching to see how she shapes that positioning. And so will District 1 voters.