Meet Preston W. Thomas III, Candidate For Bowie City Council

BOWIE, MD — The office of mayor and six councilmembers for Bowie will be on the ballot Nov. 7. There are at least two or more candidates running for Districts 1-4 and the two at-large seats, including Preston W. Thomas III. Two candidates are vying for the office of mayor.

Thomas shared information with Patch about himself and his interest in running for office.

What ways can people contact you with questions?
Social Media Handle - @MrPrestonThomas
Email - info@mrprestonthomas.org
Phone - 301-202-4013

Campaign website?
www.mrprestonthomas.org

Age as of election day?
31

Place of residence?
Tall Oaks Crossing, Bowie, Maryland

Family members?
I come from a large extended family, some of which have moved to Bowie after visiting.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
My father is a retired NCIS Special Agent, my mother works for the Federal Trade Commission. Many extended family members are current/retired police and/or veterans.

Education?
Juris doctor with a concentration in international and comparative law, master of science in government organization and leadership, bachelor of science in criminal justice, associate of applied science in cybercrime investigation.

Occupation?
Lawyer (most recently with the U.S. Senate Budget Committee)

Previously held elected or appointed political positions?
None; this is my first time running for any political position.

Why are you running for office?
I was born in Bowie in 1992. I attended Pointer Ridge Elementary School, Benjamin Tasker Middle School and Eleanor Roosevelt for High School. I choose to live in Bowie in 2023; however, because I love my city and the community that helped raise me. Last year, while working at the U.S. House Oversight & Reform Committee, I had the opportunity to closely observe Congressmembers work to represent their constituents on a national scale and became inspired to do so myself. Local government has the most day-to-day impact on the lives of residents and as a current member of city’s Community Outreach Committee and Green Team Executive Committee I wanted to do more. I will to utilize my skills and knowledge and work for the people of Bowie to move our city towards the future.

The single most pressing issue facing voters is ____, and this is what I intend to do about it.
I don’t believe there is one single pressing issue that all voters feel they are facing. As someone who is seeking to represent the entire city of Bowie, I must acknowledge that the issues that residents of District 1 face may be different from the issues of residents of District 4, which may be different from the residents of District 2 and may be different from the residents of District 3. There cannot be a one-size-fit-all, cookie cutter approach to solving every city issues. Public safety, development, infrastructure, education, environment and sustainability, even community engagement all rank differently in importance to different residents. We do need, however, stronger advocation directly to county, state and the federal governments as well as stronger collaboration with other elected officials to tackle the issues that cannot be solved by city resources alone.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
I am the only lawyer running throughout the entire council race. I have a deep understanding of law and policy that enables me to provide a unique perspective on creating and amending city policies. I started working at 14 years old and have gained invaluable experience working throughout numerous industries. I have worked for the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. House Oversight & Reform Committee and the U.S. Senate Budget Committee. Additionally, I have worked for a multinational billion dollar company, managing multi-million dollar departments and budgets. But I’ve also worked for small businesses located directly in Bowie.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?
There are two seats for the at-large position: One current Councilmember has chosen not to run for reelection and the other Councilmember, who was appointed, is running for election. Additionally, one of the current at-large candidates previously held the seat 8 years ago and was on the council for over 22 years. I am running to do more for my city. I am tired of candidates and previous councilmembers saying, “This has never been done before, so it will never happen.” This type of defeatist mindset is why the city has the type of development, infrastructure and education issues that we have today. We have to move Bowie forward, not backwards.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform. What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
My campaign is centered around the people of Bowie and making sure that every voice and issue is heard.

I will:

• Increase community engagement
• Stop new development without proper infrastructure
• Focus on redeveloping vacant buildings, offices, and restaurants
• Focus on creating an environmentally sustainable city
• Work to create public safety advancements

I can handle the responsibility of this position because I have a proven track record of success in every academic, organizational and professional position I’ve taken. I currently work on the board of directors of my HOA; I am the subcommittee chair for the city of Bowie’s Community Outreach Committee’s Grants, Veterans Affairs and Popp Award; I work within 3 different subcommittees of the city of Bowie’s Green Team Executive Committee; and I am the vice president of a new non-profit support group start-up in the city of Bowie. I understand how to handle responsibility and manage multiple tasks efficiently to create effective change.

The best advice ever shared with me was:
“One person can change the world, just take one step at a time.”

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I will never stop fighting for the residents of Bowie. I will not become complacent and I will not forget who chose me to be in a position to lead.
I represent you, I serve you, I work for you.