Janet Siddiqui said she is grateful for the support that resulted in her getting the most votes in Tuesday's primary for the Board of Education.
"I was really pleased," the incumbent said. "It's hard to predict going into these things."
Siddiqui, who received 20.37 percent of the vote, says she was successful because she made her intentions known early. She was the first to file candidacy papers (Sept. 14), and in October held a fundraiser at her Clarksville home that was hosted by state Sen. James N. Robey.
"It tells me they appreciate my time on the board," Siddiqui, 46, said. "They see that I understand the needs of the whole child. I want to close the achievement gap, and I want to retain our teachers."
Siddiqui, a pediatrician, was appointed to the board in January 2007 by County Executive Ken Ulman. She replaced Mary Kay Sigaty, who won a County Council seat after serving half her term on the board.
Siddiqui, who has lived in Howard County for more than 20 years with her husband, Nayab, has been a member of the PTA, the school system's Anti-Bullying Task Force and the Community Advisory Council.
In October 2005, she was appointed by Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. to the Patuxent River Commission.
She has worked for Johns Hopkins Community Physicians for more than a decade and is a part-time faculty member at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She also volunteers at a free health clinic in Montgomery County.
"I'm here to support the public," Siddiqui said. "I'm proud to be part of Howard County and part of the school board."
Siddiqui is crafting a strategy to maintain her momentum going into November's general election.
"I'm going to start out by visiting community events and reach community groups," she said.
john-john.williams@baltsun.com
Board of Education
Results from Tuesday's Board of Education primary. The top six vote-getters advance to the Nov. 4 general election, when candidates will vie for three open seats. Janet Siddiqui 26,338 Ellen Flynn Giles 23,939 Diane Butler 23,507 Allen Dyer 21,385 Betsy Grater 14,025 Di Zou 11,851 Faenita Dilworth 8,264