Sheriff Uy's Posh Porsche Venue Snubs the Affordability Crisis and Voters
Image Montage: upper left clipped from Max Uy for Sheriff campaign Facebook page; vehicle is AI generated; building background is Google Maps street view
As Montgomery County Sheriff Maxwell Uy campaigns for re-election, his decision to host meet-and-greet events at luxury car dealership Porsche Bethesda couldn't be more out of step with the realities facing residents. Uy will hold one there January 25, weather permitting, and again on February 22. In a county grappling with skyrocketing housing costs, high rents, and a cost of living that far outpaces the national average, choosing a venue synonymous with extravagance shows Uy is disconnected from the citizens whose votes he needs and insensitive to the affordability struggles they face.
Porsche Bethesda isn't a place most Montgomery County residents ever visit, let alone shop. The dealership's lowest-priced model on the lot, a 2026 Macan, lists for $75,030. That is more than half the county's median household income of approximately $140,000. A new Macan is within reach for Uy, with a county salary close to $200,000 plus significant benefits. Not so much for his deputies, who start around $64,000 a year. For the public servants, teachers, and service workers who form the backbone of the community, Uy's venue choice reeks of indifference.
Accessible candidates meet voters in everyday settings that are inclusive, not elite showrooms that cater to the ultra-wealthy. Nearly every candidate for elected office in the county opts for approachable, community-focused spots like local brewpubs, restaurants, nonprofit art galleries, private homes, and public parks.
Uy's tone-deafness is especially jarring given Montgomery County's acute affordability crisis, which mirrors national trends but hits harder here. The median home sale price reached $638,000 in December 2025, up 4.1% from the previous year. Rents are no relief; they devour over 30% of many residents' incomes and exacerbate financial strain. As of 2026, more than 40,000 people are on waiting lists for affordable housing assistance in Montgomery County, where the overall cost of living is 38.5% above the national average.
Sheriff Uy loaned $85,000 of his own money to his re-election campaign, the bulk of its financing. That is more than 10 times the $8,000 in savings held by the average American family. For residents living paycheck to paycheck, the display of private wealth may be perceived less as a commitment to public service and more as using personal riches to retain an elective office, especially when it is spent on a ritzy campaign venue spotlighting luxury far out of reach for everyday citizens.
Sheriff Uy should be politically savvy enough to recognize voters' diverse economic realities and select campaign venues that don't alienate the majority. If he doesn't change lanes soon, his time spent at Porsche Bethesda will have been more rewarding if he dropped his $85,000 on a new Macan.
