By Stephanie Samuel

Sentinel Staff Writer

Primary winners Donna Edwards and Peter James are surging ahead in the race for the fourth Congressional district special election. Edwards secured the nomination of the Montgomery County Democratic Central Committee on Tuesday night by a 22-1 margin.

The single opposing vote went to Jason Jennings, who ran against Edwards and outgoing incumbent Rep. Albert Wynn (D-Dist. 4) in the Feb. 12 primary and received just over 1 percent of votes.

Republican primary winner James also received the nod from the Montgomery County party officials, however with less competition.

"A couple of people sent their names to us but they weren't serious," Chairman Bill Witham said of the two who initially sought the nomination with James. "They didn't follow up." The vote was unanimously in James's favor.

The next hurdle for the candidates is the Prince George's County nomination. Edwards will face former primary opponents Jennings and George McDermott and newcomer and policy analyst Bruce Foote in a Thursday hearing at 7:30 p.m. in Glenarden. Prince George's County Democratic Central Committee Chairman Terry Speigner says Edwards, Jennings and McDermott will present their agendas in a question and answer format before the committee votes.

Mykel Harris, chairman of the Prince George's County Republican Central Committee, says the committee has not set a meeting time to decide a county nominee. Harris says so far James is the only person seeking the nomination.

Contact Stephanie Samuel at

ssamuel@thesentinel.com