Montgomery County Sheriff Maxwell Uy has lost high-profile endorsements in his contentious reelection bid.

The sheriff has acknowledged he no longer holds endorsements from Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy and Montgomery County Council member Dawn Luedtke, who sits on the council’s Public Safety Committee.

Uy had 14 endorsements this summer and is down to 10, according to his campaign website.

McCarthy, through a spokesperson, told The Banner he is not endorsing anyone in the sheriff’s race. McCarthy endorsed Uy in the 2022 election, when Uy became Montgomery County’s first Asian American sheriff.

McCarthy declined additional comment. Luedtke declined comment.

Uy is facing Will Milam in the June Democratic primary for sheriff. Milam was second in command at the Prince George’s County Sheriff’s Office when he retired in February. He declined comment for this story.

An archived version of Uy’s campaign website from Aug. 15 shows 14 endorsements, including from McCarthy, Luedtke and Montgomery County Council member Sidney Katz, who chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee. Katz’s endorsement was listed on the sheriff’s campaign website on Tuesday.

“I do not have their active endorsements,” Uy said of McCarthy and Luedtke. He added that he “fully” supports the state’s attorney and the council member in their reelection bids.

Another endorsement that no longer appears on Uy‘s website was from Joseph Griffin, the longtime register of wills in Montgomery County who died in August at 60.

UFCW Local 1994 MCGEO, a union that represents sheriff’s deputies and civilian employees in the county, held a press conference on Sept. 17 to announce its members voted no confidence in Uy’s leadership.

Gino Renne, the union’s president, speculated that Uy lost endorsements as a result of the vote.

“They made a principled decision,” Renne said of those who withdrew their support.

Tensions

Milam, who has gained an endorsement from MCGEO, also touts endorsements from several county unions, including the International Association of Firefighters Local 1664, representing Montgomery County firefighters; the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 35, representing Montgomery County police officers; and the Maryland Fraternal Order of Police, representing active and retired officers in the state.

In addition to blasting Uy’s leadership and endorsing his opponent, MCGEO last month accused the sheriff of violating an agreement with the state’s Child Support Administration, alleging that deputies funded by it performed unrelated duties, “including evictions, courtroom security and extraditions — while their time was recorded as child support enforcement work.”

Uy has denied any wrongdoing by his office and blamed the matter on a “public misinformation campaign” by the union.

The Child Support Administration is reviewing whether the sheriff’s office violated rules dictating the agreement.

Uy said his office is being “transparent” and complying with the state investigation. He described some of MCGEO’s criticisms of him, including the accusation of poor recordkeeping with regards to child support duties, as “false” and “troubling.”

Uy said that while he supports unions, he and MCGEO have bickered because he has to do what is best for his office and residents of Montgomery County, which doesn’t always align with the union’s priorities.

Uy said he remains the best candidate for the job.

“I continue to run on my track record of experience and leadership here in Montgomery County,” he said. “I’m committed to serving the residents and committed to running my campaign.”

Renne said Uy should drop out of the race because he has lost the support of his workers. “His workforce is done with him,” Renne said. “He no longer has the right to continue to lead the department.”