Wicomico County stands at a crossroads in its history. We face numerous challenges that have unfortunately been made worse by the last four years of instability and needless drama emanating from the current County Executive’s office. I see it in the challenges faced by our friends, their families, homeowners, and businesses across our neighborhoods here in District 7.
As the former chair of the “Yes on Question A” Campaign that narrowly lost the 2024 referendum to discontinue the executive position, I remain philosophically against the idea of having this executive form of government. But the voters spoke and we are left with having the executive office for the duration. As such, we need someone in that role with actual experience in local government, an adult temperament and the ability to fix the growing list of crises that has engulfed so much of our county government’s operations.
We need stability, we need unity and we need local voices who don’t just want to use the executive office as a springboard to Washington DC or to divide us into political factions. I’ve said it before and I will say it again that in an ideal world local government offices should NOT be partisan contests. But we are currently left with two choices for county executive in the upcoming election.
That is why- as the first independent county council candidate Wicomico County in more than 25 years- I am proud to also be the first council candidate to endorse Ernest “Ernie” Davis for Wicomico County Executive.
Ernie Davis is running as the Democratic candidate, but this election is not about being a Democrat, Republican or Independent. It’s not about left or right. It’s simply about right and wrong. And It’s about putting Wicomico back on track and ending this toxic and unstable period that has hurt our residents, homeowners, employees and business owners over the past four years.
Ernie Davis is the voice of Wicomico’s silent majority who want Wicomico County to get back to the business of having a local county government that improves everyday peoples’ lives rather than ignores our most pressing concerns. That same majority wants our county to succeed without this toxic partisanship that is all-too-often turning neighbor against neighbor by bringing in national politics that have nothing to do with our local issues.
His eight years on the county council, previous career in law enforcement and his current role as a successful local business owner all demonstrate that he has the expertise needed that will make Wicomico County safer and more prosperous compared to where it has been stuck during the past four years.
A vote for Ernie Davis is a vote to redeem our beloved Wicomico County and put us on the path toward a better future. All of us, Democrats, Republicans and Independents like myself, deserve nothing less.
Joe Venosa
Salisbury resident
Independent Candidate for District 7, Wicomico County Council
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
