I’M JUST A NEIGHBOR WHO DECIDED TO STEP UP …
Hi there, I'm Johnny Mercer.
I'm a lifelong Frederick County resident, a filmmaker, an organizer, and most importantly, a neighbor who believes that the People who live here deserve a real voice in the decisions shaping our future.
I'm not a career politician. I've never wanted to be one. But I have always believed that when something matters to you, eventually you have to decide whether you're willing to do something about it.
For me, that time has come.
i grew up here …
in the forest. AROUND PEOPLE WHO WORKED FOR WHAT THEY HAD.
After retiring from FCPS, my grandfather owned a rhododendron nursery in Woodsboro. Getting lost in those fields and amongst the trees is where I learned to love this place. The land. The seasons. The work. The People.
The feeling that a community is something you don't just live in, but something you help take care of.
My dad was a contractor. My mom was a school psychologist. They took very different paths, but they taught me the same fundamental lesson …
YOU WORK HARD. YOU TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE. AND YOU DON’T FORGET WHERE YOU CAME FROM.
Those lessons have shaped just about everything I've done since.
my grandfather’s nursery taught me something …
You can’t rush a nursery. You can't plant a seed today and demand a flower tomorrow. You have to think ahead. You have to understand the land. You have to plan for seasons you can't predict.
And you have to take care of what you've been given because you know the next generation is going to inherit it.
I think government should work the same way.
WE SHOULDN’T MAKE DECISIONS JUST BECAUSE THEY WORK TODAY.
We should ask whether they'll still make sense twenty years from now. That's especially important in a county like Frederick. We're growing. And the decisions we're making now will determine what kind of place our children inherit.
i also learned to see frederick from the outside …
After my parents divorced, I spent weekends living and working with my dad in and around Baltimore. That shift between rural Frederick County and Baltimore gave me a perspective I might not have gotten otherwise … I saw two very different communities.
But I also saw how much People had in common. People want safe neighborhoods and good schools. They want a decent place to live and a chance to provide for their families. The People want a government that listens.
Those things aren't partisan.
THEY’RE HUMAN.
2020 changed me.
When I watched the murder of George Floyd my heart broke. I couldn’t just sit at home and watch murder after murder from behind my cellphone screen any more. So I started to organize. First in Frederick County, and then across the DMV, with a focus in beautiful Washington, DC.
I wasn’t a politician or elected official. I didn’t have any sort of campaign operation with volunteers to help. I was simply one person that believed the People needed to stand up and be heard. And I wasn’t alone …
The People showed up!
Again and again complete strangers came together to work together. We organized. We marched. We demanded change. And We learned …
ORDINARY PEOPLE HAVE POWER WHEN THEY ORGANIZE !
That experience changed how I think about leadership. Leadership isn't about being the loudest person in the room. It's about bringing the People together. It's about listening. It's about showing up.
And sometimes it's about being willing to stand up before you know exactly how everything is going to work out.
that’s why i’m running for county council !
I'm running because I love Frederick County. But loving a place doesn't mean pretending everything is perfect. Our county is changing. Housing is becoming harder to afford. Our roads and infrastructure are under pressure. Our schools need continued investment. Our farmland and open spaces face development pressure. And major decisions about our future are being made right now.
I don't think we should be afraid of change.
I THINK WE SHOULD BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT IT.
We can grow without losing what makes Frederick special. We can build housing without abandoning affordability. We can create jobs without sacrificing our environment. We can invest in our schools while planning for future growth. And we can make government more transparent, accessible, and accountable.
But we have to choose to do those things.
i’m ready to step up.
I'm Johnny Mercer and I'm running for Frederick County Council, District 5. I'm asking for your vote.
But more importantly, I'm asking you to join me in building something bigger than one candidate or one election. A government that listens. A county that plans ahead. A community where Working People can afford to stay. A future where our farms, schools, water, and neighborhoods are protected.
And a Frederick County that works for everyone.