Meet Prince George’s County Council Candidate Jonathan White: 2026 Election Spotlight

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — Jonathan C. White will be on the ballot Election Day as a candidate for Prince George's County Council District 6.

Patch posed questions to each candidate running for office.

Below you will find White's responses, verbatim:

Name
Jonathan C. White

Age on Election Day
53

Hometown
Originally from Kentucky. I currently reside in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Political Affiliation
Republican

Email address to be published
jonwhiteforpgcounty@gmail.com

Campaign website/Facebook page
https://www.votejonwhite.com/

Do you have any previous political experience? If so, please state and explain how that experience will influence your time in office if elected.

Yes. I was the Republican nominee for Prince George’s County Executive in the 2025 special election. That experience allowed me to travel throughout the county, meet residents personally, attend community meetings, speak with civic and homeowners’ associations, and hear directly from people about what they expect from their government.

One of the biggest lessons I learned is that residents are tired of feeling that the government only listens during election season. If elected, I will continue meeting people where they are, listening to residents regardless of political affiliation, and making decisions based on what is best for the community rather than what is best for a political party or special interest.

I am not a career politician. I believe public office should be about service, accountability and results.

What do you believe is the single-most important issue facing voters in the district you’re looking to represent? How do you intend to address those issues?

The most important issue is responsible growth and the overall cost of living. Residents should not have to choose between staying in the communities they helped build and being priced out by rising property taxes, housing costs and other expenses.

At the same time, we cannot continue approving development without ensuring that our roads, schools, public safety resources and other infrastructure can support it. I am particularly concerned about placing large data-center developments or other major industrial projects near established residential communities.

I support economic development, but it must be smart development. I want to expand our commercial tax base, attract quality employers and create good-paying jobs while protecting existing neighborhoods. Development should improve residents' quality of life, not diminish it.

How do you differ from other candidates running against you?

I can only speak for myself and the approach I would bring to public service. I am a retired U.S. Air Force veteran, former federal employee, business owner, community volunteer and high school football coach. I have spent much of my adult life serving others rather than building a political career.

I am also willing to disagree with my own party when I believe an issue demands it. My philosophy is simple: people over politics. A good idea does not become a bad idea because a Democrat proposed it, and a bad idea does not become a good idea because a Republican proposed it.

I will approach every issue by asking three questions: Does it help residents? Can we afford it? And will it make our community better in the long term?

How would your work experience benefit the goals/objectives you’ve outlined in your campaign and/or the office you’re seeking?

I served approximately 20 years in the United States Air Force and spent roughly another decade working with the U.S. Department of State. Those experiences taught me leadership, accountability, budgeting, planning and the importance of completing the mission.

As a volunteer high school football coach, I also work directly with young people and families. That keeps me connected to the challenges facing students, parents and educators.

I would bring all those experiences together in public office.

What is your opinion of the work being done by the current office holder, and how will you improve on it?

My campaign is not about personally attacking the current office holder. It is about asking whether residents believe the government is delivering the results they expect.

I believe elected officials should be accessible, transparent and willing to challenge the status quo. Residents should not have to fight with their government to receive information, get basic services or have legitimate concerns heard.

I would emphasize greater transparency, stronger constituent services, fiscal accountability and direct communication with residents. I also believe elected officials must be willing to ask difficult questions about spending and determine whether programs are producing measurable results.

How do you feel about the school system in your area and what improvements would you like to see be made?

Our students deserve an excellent education, and our teachers and school employees deserve the resources and working conditions necessary to provide it.

We need to focus on the fundamentals: academic achievement, school safety, teacher retention, special education, career and technical education, transportation reliability and accountability for how education dollars are spent.

I have been involved with special-education advocacy and have seen how frustrating the system can become for families trying to obtain services for their children. Parents should not have to become experts in bureaucracy just to get their children the support they need.

I also want us to expand our career and technical education. College should remain an option, but it should not be presented as the only path to success. Students should have opportunities to graduate with marketable skills, certifications, apprenticeships and pathways into well-paying careers.

How do you feel about crime in your area and what steps can be taken to reduce it?

Public safety is one of the government's most fundamental responsibilities. Residents deserve to feel safe in their homes, neighborhoods, businesses and schools.

I support properly staffing and equipping our police, fire and EMS departments while also holding those agencies to high professional standards.

We should increase community-based policing and visible police presence where appropriate, improve recruitment and retention, use technology responsibly to help solve crimes, and strengthen cooperation between residents and law enforcement.

But enforcement alone is not enough. We also must address youth opportunities. After-school programs, athletics, mentoring, summer employment, apprenticeships and career programs can give young people alternatives before they enter the criminal justice system.

We can support law enforcement and invest in prevention at the same time.

What do you think about the economic climate and business sector in your community, and what initiatives could propel it forward?

Prince George’s County has tremendous economic potential. We have an outstanding location, proximity to Washington, D.C., major highways, federal agencies, universities, transportation infrastructure and a talented workforce.

However, we need to become more competitive in attracting and retaining businesses.

I want to streamline permitting, reduce unnecessary bureaucracy, support small businesses and aggressively recruit employers in technology, life sciences, cybersecurity, defense, professional services, clean energy and other industries that create high-paying jobs.

I also believe economic development must produce tangible benefits for existing residents. We should not measure success simply by how many buildings we construct. We should measure it by jobs created, businesses attracted, wages generated and whether our commercial tax base grows enough to reduce the burden placed on homeowners.

How do you feel about transportation options in the area and what, if anything, should be improved upon?

Transportation must be viewed as more than simply building additional roads.

We need reliable public transportation, better bus service, safer roads, improved pedestrian infrastructure and better coordination between transportation and development decisions.

One of my concerns is approving significant residential development without making the transportation improvements necessary to support the additional population. Residents should not spend years sitting in worsening traffic because development was approved before infrastructure was ready.

Transportation planning and land-use planning must work together.

What else would you like voters to know about you?

I joined the United States Air Force at 19 years old and spent much of my adult life serving this country. I later worked for the U.S. Department of State, became a business owner, volunteered in my community and coached young people.

I am a husband, father and grandfather. Those experiences shape how I look at public service.

I am not running because I need a political title. I am running because I believe residents deserve a government that listens to them, respects their tax dollars and is willing to challenge the way things have always been done.

I believe we can grow our economy without destroying the character of our neighborhoods. We can support our police while demanding professionalism and accountability. We can improve our schools while being honest about where improvements are needed. We can attract businesses while protecting homeowners and seniors from being priced out of their communities.

Most importantly, I believe public service should be about people, not political parties.

My commitment is simple: People over politics, accountability over excuses, and results over promises.