CHARLES COUNTY, Md. — Indian Head Mayor Brandon Paulin is seeking election to the Charles County Board of Commissioners’ District 2 seat, relying on his experience revitalizing the town over the past decade. He recently joined Chris Hill on “Get Real with Southern Maryland Politics” to discuss his campaign and the priorities he hopes to bring to county government.
“I want to bring some common-sense governance to Charles County,” Paulin said. “A big focus will be affordability, because things aren’t getting cheaper.”
Paulin, who has served as mayor of Indian Head for roughly 10 years, said his decision to run was driven by the progress the town has made during his tenure. He pointed to economic revitalization efforts and partnerships tied to nearby Naval Support Facility Indian Head, which is undergoing a multibillion-dollar modernization effort.
According to Paulin, the base’s Energetics Comprehensive Modernization Plan, a project estimated at about $2.5 billion, has helped fuel renewed economic activity in the area. “We’ve seen a lot of positive change by keeping things simple — investing in infrastructure and investing in places where people can live, learn, work and play,” Paulin said.
During the interview, Paulin highlighted several accomplishments in Indian Head, including the development of a boardwalk, environmental shoreline restoration projects, and the town’s first grocery store since the 1990s. He also pointed to the completion of an economic revitalization plan launched in 2015, saying the town successfully implemented about 95% of the plan’s goals.
Many of those projects, Paulin said, were made possible through partnerships with state agencies, private industry, and organizations such as the College of Southern Maryland.
To achieve these milestones, Paulin aggressively pursued grant funding to reduce the burden on local taxpayers. One example was the town’s boardwalk project, which cost about $4 million but received roughly $3.2 million in state funding.
“In a town where our general fund budget is only about $1.2 million a year, you have to get creative,” Paulin said.
If elected to the county commission, Paulin said he would apply the same approach to county government — focusing on infrastructure investments, leveraging grants, and strengthening partnerships to support economic growth.
He also emphasized the importance of transparency and accessibility in local government, noting that the Town of Indian Head holds regular public meetings both in person and online so residents can easily participate.
“I try to be an open book,” Paulin said. “If people don’t know where I stand on an issue, I encourage them to call, email or message me.”
Paulin acknowledged that serving at the county level would expand his responsibilities significantly, representing a district of tens of thousands of residents rather than a few thousand in Indian Head. Still, he plans to approach the role with the same philosophy he has used as mayor — staying accessible to residents and focusing on practical results.
Economic development is another priority for Paulin. He said Charles County must work to attract more job opportunities locally so residents do not have to commute outside the county for work. “A lot of people leave the county for jobs,” Paulin said. “We need to make sure those opportunities are here, so that money stays in Charles County.”
Keeping jobs and economic activity within the county, he added, strengthens the local economy by supporting small businesses and creating a cycle of reinvestment.
Paulin also praised the county’s teachers and public schools, noting that educators play a key role in maintaining quality of life in the community. “We have dedicated professionals who work day in and day out to make sure things are better than when they started,” he said.
As the campaign moves forward, Paulin said his focus will remain on practical governance and building partnerships to deliver results. “This campaign is about delivering results,” he said. “We’ve done that in Indian Head over the last 10 years, and I believe we can bring that same approach to Charles County.”
Watch the full interview below:
About Get Real With Southern Maryland Politics
The interview is part of The BayNet’s new candidate video podcast series, “Get Real With Southern Maryland Politics,” which features conversations with Southern Maryland candidates running for county commissioner, state delegate and state senator.
Upcoming election coverage can be found at /elections.
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