My name is Philip Cook, and I’m running for Maryland State Senate (District 17) because the community I love is becoming harder for everyday families to afford.
I live here in Gaithersburg with my wife, who is from El Salvador, and our family. Like many families in Montgomery County, we’ve felt the pressures people are talking about every day. Housing keeps getting more expensive. Childcare costs keep rising. And too many people are starting to wonder whether they’ll be able to stay in the communities they love.
I believe public service should focus on solving the problems people actually face in their daily lives. That belief is what led me to run.
My name is Philip Cook, and I’m running for State Senate because the community I love is becoming harder for everyday families to afford.
I live here in Gaithersburg with my wife, who is from El Salvador, and our family. Like many families in Montgomery County, we’ve felt the pressures people are talking about every day. Housing keeps getting more expensive. Childcare costs keep rising. And too many people are starting to wonder whether they’ll be able to stay in the communities they love.
I believe public service should focus on solving the problems people actually face in their daily lives. That belief is what led me to run.
I was raised in a family that believed deeply in service.
My father, Timothy Cook, was a disability rights lawyer who helped write key parts of the Americans with Disabilities Act. His work helped expand accessibility and dignity for millions of Americans.
My mother was a nurse who spent her career caring for patients and families when they needed help the most.
From both of them, I learned that public service isn’t about politics or titles. It’s about standing up for people and doing the work to make life better for your community.
I was born in Washington, D.C., and later moved to Maryland, eventually putting down roots here in Gaithersburg.
Our community is incredibly diverse, and my own life reflects that. Many of my friends are from various countries. My wife is from El Salvador, and our family is bilingual and proud to be part of the rich cultural fabric of Montgomery County.
This community has given my family so much, and I want to help ensure it remains a place where people from all backgrounds can build a life.
My career path hasn’t been through politics.
Over the years I’ve worked in restaurants, accounting, and today in the biotechnology sector, where I help assemble experimental therapies designed to treat rare diseases and cancers.
Like many people in our community, my family has also experienced how difficult things can become when systems don’t work the way they should.
When my family went through a serious medical situation, we were surprised by how many unexpected costs came with it, even though we had insurance. Experiences like that show you just how many families are struggling to navigate complicated systems during some of life’s hardest moments.
Those experiences shaped how I think about public service.
I’ve always believed that if you care about your community, you should be involved in it.
Over the years I’ve served on the Gaithersburg Board of Appeals and the Old Town Advisory Committee, helping residents work through local issues.
I’ve been active in church life, teaching religious education and volunteering to help neighbors facing difficult circumstances.
And I’ve had the privilege of coaching soccer and track for young people in our community.
These experiences have helped me see firsthand the challenges people face and the strength of the community around us.
Housing costs are rising.
Childcare is getting more expensive.
And some seniors worry they may not be able to remain in the neighborhoods they helped build.
When communities begin to feel these pressures, leadership matters.
I decided to run because too often the problems people face every day get talked about but not acted on. The people who live and work in this community deserve someone willing to step forward and make sure their voices are heard.
Montgomery County has always been a place where people come to build a future.
I believe it should remain that way.
A place where families can put down roots.
Where seniors can stay close to friends and neighbors.
And where people from all backgrounds can feel that they belong.
That’s the future I want to help build together.
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