US Marine Corps Veteran Pete Smith Launches Race for Anne Arundel County Executive with A Focus on Affordable Housing, Small Business, and Service

“ I have lived the affordability crisis as a child. I know the struggle in painful and personal terms that far too many families are facing right now at their kitchen tables. We can do better." - Pete Smith, Anne Arundel County Executive, Candidate

As the holiday season approaches, Pete Smith, a major in the United States Marines Reserves, is busier than ever. For more than 15 years, Smith has served as a state lead for Maryland’s U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign, helping ensure that children and families experience joy during what can be an especially difficult time of year. Smith's work has led to nearly 70,000 toys being donated to 17,000 families across Anne Arundel County.

For Smith, the mission is deeply personal. Growing up in Chicago, he saw firsthand how easily families can fall through the cracks—and how even small acts of kindness can make a lasting difference.

“Helping others is part of who I am,” Smith said. “Happiness shouldn’t come with a cost for children. I want to make sure I play a role in bringing joy to kids and families who have very little this holiday season—families like the one I grew up in.”

That lived experience shapes Smith’s campaign for Anne Arundel County Executive, which he says is grounded in compassion, military service, and action. Drawing on both his upbringing and his service in the U.S. Marine Corps, Smith believes the county needs leaders who understand hardship and are prepared to confront urgent challenges—especially affordable housing.

“I'm a proud Marine and the military literally saved my life,” Smith said. “I grew up with a single mother in a difficult home environment. I know what it’s like to go without food. I know what it’s like to bounce from couch to couch, not knowing where I’d sleep the next night. No other candidate in this race can say that. 'Affordability crisis' isn't just an empty campaign slogan for me as it is for others.”

Smith says those experiences drive his commitment to addressing the county’s housing crisis head-on. Recently, he introduced legislation in the Anne Arundel County Council to expand cottage and small-scale housing options—an approach already gaining traction in jurisdictions such as Loudoun County, Virginia.

“I’m committed to using every lever of government to address affordable housing in our community,” Smith said.

A two-term member of the County Council, Smith has built a record of advocating for local schools, veterans, and economic development. As County Executive, he says his priority will be creating a business-friendly environment that expands opportunity for working families.

“We win when small businesses succeed,” Smith said. “They grow our economic base, and every new business means someone gets a job—another tool they can use to build a better life.”

Smith points to Arundel Mills as a model for smart, diversified economic development. While widely known for retail and entertainment, the project also attracted cybersecurity firms and defense contractors in Smith's council district, which help broaden the county’s economic base. “It's way too hard to start a small business in Anne Arundel but we already have a template like Arundel Mills,” Smith said. “I’m the only candidate in this race with the experience to lead large-scale efforts like this and deliver lasting economic growth for Anne Arundel County.”

Smith’s campaign has earned the support of respected community leaders like Alice Sophocles and fellow veterans like Colonel Mike Rogers (Ret.), Anne Arundel County Board of Education President CSM Gloria Dent (Ret.), and civil rights advocate and retired Lt. Colonel Steven Tillett.

Rogers praised Smith’s work ethic and commitment to service. “Pete has what feels like ten jobs—all focused on serving either the community or our country,” Rogers said. “There is no other candidate who works as hard, day in and day out, to help families in Anne Arundel County.”

Tillett echoed those sentiments, pointing to Smith’s ability to build bridges across communities. “His lifelong commitment to Toys for Tots has brought together organizations across ideologies,” Tillett said. “He’s the only candidate in this race whose life’s work has united so many people. That’s exactly what we need right now in communities like Severn, Russett, Watershed, and Maryland City.”

Dent summed up Smith’s appeal simply: “Everybody likes Pete because he has a big heart—and we see it every year during the holiday season. I'm really excited to have Pete serve as our next County Executive.”