Stephen Sewell, 30, of Street, is the latest candidate to file his name to run in the Republican primary next spring to represent District D on the Harford County Council.

“I think Harford County is just a spectacle in itself,” he said. “I think it’s one of the most beautiful places on Earth … I really want to keep Harford County how it is.”

Keeping Harford County how it is, Sewell said, involves preserving the county’s heritage, maintaining its beauty and moving away from a reliance on large corporations.

“The strength and longevity of Harford’s heritage will rely directly on how we learn from the past to ensure a prosperous future,” he said. “Our greatest and most beloved asset is being exchanged for short-term growth that feeds off destruction of our farmland and small businesses.”

Sewell said he filed to run in order to connect with voters his age, hearing their concerns and assist them in shaping the county’s future.

“In reality, I’m not getting elected to say ‘Hey, this is what I want.’ I get elected to say ‘Hey, this is what you want as a whole,” he said.

If elected , he wants to strategize with residents on how they can make a difference.

So far one other Republican has filed for the District B seat — John B. Carl, Jr. Carl also ran in 2022 and was defeated in the July 2022 primary by current seat-holder James Reilly, who won by a slim 11 vote margin. Reilly has not yet announced if he will run for reelection.

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