2026 Candidate Spotlight: Meet Regina Clay

COLUMBIA, MD — Regina Clay has entered the race for Howard County Council District 4. Patch posed questions to each candidate running for office.

Below you will find Clay's responses, verbatim:

Name: Regina Clay
Age as of Election Day: 62
Hometown: Columbia, MD
Political affiliation: Democrat

Email: info@reginaclayforhoward.com

Campaign website and Facebook: www.reginaclayforhoward.com and www.facebook.com/FriendsofReginaClay

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 and it's not theoretical experience. It's lived, earned, and deeply rooted in this community. I served under County Executive Ken Ulman here in Howard County, under Governor Martin O'Malley at the state level, at the Maryland Department of Human Services, and on the staff of the late Congressman Elijah Cummings. Each of those roles taught me something different how county government actually works from the inside, how state policy gets made and where it breaks down, how federal resources flow into communities like ours, and what it looks like when a public servant puts people before politics every single day.

Congressman Cummings modeled something I carry with me: the understanding that your constituents are not a constituency they're your neighbors. If elected, that's the standard I'll hold myself to. My experience means I won't need time to learn the job. I'll be ready to deliver on Day One.

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?

Housing affordability full stop. District 4 is where I grew up, where I raised my children, and where too many long-time residents are now being priced out of the community they built. Seniors on fixed incomes are facing property tax burdens that are forcing them to leave homes they've owned for decades. Working families are being squeezed between stagnant wages and rising rents with no relief in sight.

Here's what I'll do: I will champion an expanded senior property tax credit tied to years of Howard County residency because loyalty to this county should be rewarded, not penalized. I will advocate for rent stabilization policies that protect tenants without freezing out new housing development. And I will push for workforce housing solutions that ensure the teachers, nurses, firefighters, and service workers who keep District 4 running can actually afford to live here.

How do you differ from other candidates running against you?
I'm not coming to this race with a résumé I built somewhere else. District 4 is my home it has been my entire life. I grew up here. I raised my family here. My roots in this community aren't a campaign talking point; they're my lived reality.
What also sets me apart is the combination of government experience and executive leadership. I've worked at every level county, state, and federal and I've led at the executive level in the private sector at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield. I understand both how policy is made and how organizations actually deliver results. That's a rare combination, and it means I can build coalitions across the aisle, manage a budget with discipline, and hold agencies accountable when they're not serving our residents.

I also bring a perspective rooted in faith and community service. I'm a pastor. I see people in their fullness not as voters or demographics, but as human beings with real needs and real dignity.

How would your work experience benefit the goals/objectives you’ve outlined in your campaign and/or the office you’re seeking?
Every role I've held has been preparation for this moment. At the county level, I learned how local government decisions shape daily life zoning, services, infrastructure. At the state level, I learned how to move policy through complex systems and build relationships across competing interests. In Congress, I learned the power of advocacy and what it means to fight for constituents who don't always have a seat at the table. At CareFirst, I managed large-scale operations, stakeholder relationships, and community benefit programs skills that translate directly to managing a council office with fiscal responsibility and strategic vision.

My campaign pillars housing, education, economic development, and community equity aren't just talking points I developed for this race. They are the through-line of my entire career in public.

What is your opinion of the work being done by the current office holder, and how will you improve on it? If that is you - how do you plan to continue improving upon what you've already accomplished?

I believe in leading with respect, so I'll say this: Howard County has had dedicated public servants, and I don't come into this race to tear anyone down. What I will say is that District 4 deserves a representative who is fully present, deeply connected to the community, and proactively fighting for residents not waiting to respond to problems after they've reached a crisis point.

Where I will improve: I'll prioritize constituent accessibility and transparency. I'll hold regular community conversations not just during election season. I'll bring a housing equity lens to every vote. And I'll make sure the voices of District 4's most underrepresented residents seniors, renters, working families, communities of color are centered in every decision I make.

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

Howard County Public School System has a strong reputation, and we should be proud of that foundation. But reputation alone doesn't serve every child. We have persistent achievement and opportunity gaps that don't reflect our values as a community and they don't just happen by accident. They happen when resources aren't distributed equitably across schools and when we don't invest proactively in the students who need the most support.

I want to see full funding for mental health services in every school the pandemic made clear how essential that is. I want early childhood education expanded and made accessible to families across the income spectrum. And I want to ensure that every school in District 4, regardless of zip code, has the resources, facilities, and teachers it needs to give our children a real shot at their future.

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

Public safety is a foundational responsibility of local government, and I take it seriously. But I also believe that if we're only responding to crime after it happens, we've already failed. Real public safety is built upstream through housing stability, mental health resources, economic opportunity, and community investment.

That said, I support a community-centered approach to policing that builds trust between law enforcement and residents. Accountability matters. Transparency matters. And every resident of District 4 regardless of race, income, or neighborhood deserves to feel safe in their own community. I will advocate for evidence-based violence prevention programs, crisis intervention resources that keep non-violent situations from escalating, and the kind of community-police partnership that makes District 4 safer for everyone.

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

Howard County has real economic strengths a skilled workforce, proximity to federal agencies and major employers, and a history of innovation. But we have to be intentional about making sure economic growth reaches all of our residents and all of our neighborhoods, not just the corridors that are already thriving.

I'll advocate for small business support infrastructure access to capital, technical assistance, and procurement opportunities especially for minority- and women-owned businesses that have historically been locked out of opportunity here. I want to see workforce development partnerships between our schools, community college, and local employers that create real pathways to good-paying jobs for District 4 residents. And I'll push for development that brings economic vitality without displacing the communities that are already here.

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

Transportation is a quality-of-life issue and an equity issue. Too many District 4 residents particularly seniors, people with disabilities, and working families without reliable vehicles are underserved by our current transit options. That limits their access to jobs, healthcare, education, and opportunity.

I will advocate for improved bus frequency and coverage, expanded pedestrian and cycling infrastructure that actually connects people to where they need to go, and better coordination between county transportation planning and our state and regional partners. A community as resourceful and forward-thinking as Howard County should not have residents choosing between a car they can't afford and opportunities they can't reach.

What else would you like voters to know about you?
I want voters to know that this isn't about a title or a next step in a career. This is about home. District 4 gave me everything my values, my sense of community, my understanding of what it means to belong somewhere. And I believe deeply that the people who shaped this community deserve a representative who will fight for them with the same passion and commitment they have given to this place.

I am a woman of faith. I'm a pastor, a Delta woman, a mother, and a lifelong Howard County resident. I bring all of that to this race not just a résumé. I believe in governing with both head and heart, with data and with empathy, with strategy and with soul.

I am asking for the honor of serving District 4 and I don't take that ask lightly.