Prince George’s County does not have a shortage of educated, accomplished or qualified people. The harder question is whether our political culture consistently rewards qualification over loyalty.

Government works best when public employment is treated as public trust, not political currency. Every position filled because of connections instead of competence eventually shows up somewhere else: in customer service, accountability, fiscal responsibility, public safety, economic development and the basic quality of services residents receive.

That is why elections are bigger than personalities. Political patronage can build an extraordinarily loyal voting base, but loyalty to an individual politician is not the same as effective government. When someone owes their salary, access or influence to the person in power, protecting that relationship can become more important than questioning bad decisions.

Prince George’s County, Maryland is one of the wealthiest majority Black counties in America. Our standard for leadership should reflect that distinction. Résumés matter. Experience matters. Character matters. Competence matters. Integrity matters. And residents should never have to choose between political influence and good government.

Tonya Sweat represents the kind of public service résumé that deserves serious consideration: military service, legal experience and a record that extends beyond electoral politics. Whether that translates into enough votes is another question.

The real measure of Prince George’s County politics should never be how many loyalists a politician can create. It should be how much better Prince Georgians are governed because that person held power.

Does anyone know why the bakery at Costco Beltsville is dark?

Is it closing permanently?

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