Thomas Circle NW: Fenty and Gray supporters outside the Washington Plaza Hotel on Wednesday evening. (Luis Gomez Photos)
DC Mayor Adrian Fenty. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Mayor Adrian Fenty easily beat challenger Vincent Gray in Wednesday night’s straw poll vote among Ward 2 Democrats. Fenty took 97 of the 163 votes cast (60%) and Gray got 63 votes (39%). Both the Dupont and Logan neighborhoods are located in DC’s Ward 2.
Both candidates spoke to the attendees of the forum, which was cosponsored by the Ward 2 Democrats and the Logan Circle Community Association. The event was open to the public but only registered Demcorats in Ward 2 could vote. It was held at the Washington Plaza Hotel on Thomas Circle NW.
Fenty picked up an important endorsement earlier this week when former DC Mayor Anthony Williams (1999-2007) endorsed Fenty for re-election. Councilmember Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) is also supporting Fenty.
DC Council Chairman Vincent Gray. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Click to enlarge: The Dupont and Logan neighborhoods are in Ward 2, along with a portion of the U Street area. (Ward 2 Democrats)
The Logan Circle Community Association (LCCA) and the Ward 2 Democrats are hosting a Mayoral straw poll Wednesday, July 21, at the Washington Plaza Hotel, 10 Thomas Circle NW. All of the candidates who filed papers to run have been invited, including Mayor Adrian Fenty and Council Chair Vincent Gray. Doors open at 7 pm.
According to the organizers, everyone is invited to attend—but only Ward 2 registered Democrats will be able to vote in the straw poll. Registration begins at 7 pm and guests will have the opportunity to talk to any candidates who are present at that time. Candidate presentations begin at 7:30 pm and voting will close by 9:15 pm (times subject to change if needed.)
Each candidate will be asked to speak on several topics. Following the presentation, registered Ward 2 Democrats will have the opportunity to vote.
For more information, contact Ward 2 Democrats President Pat Allen at 202-296-0720 or LCCA President Bob Maffin 202-301-2125.
Also, be sure to take the Borderstan reader poll on the DC mayoral race on Borderstan’s landing page, in the right navigation bar.
We have a new reader poll up this week for DC Democrats: Who’s your choice for mayor in the September 14 Democratic Primary?
Are you for the incumbent, Adrian Fenty… or challenger Vincent Gray? Undecided?
How about bringing back former Mayor Anthony Williams? We thought it would be fun to throw in an unusual option since Borderstan has heard a number of people say, “I don’t like either choice.” While it is too late for Williams to qualify for the September 14 ballot, he could go the write-in route either in the primary or the November 2 general election.
The poll is on the home page in the right navigation bar.
The results of a similar Borderstan reader poll in late April had Fenty at 49%, Gray at 26% and 21% undecided. The Ward 2 Democrats in conjunction with the Logan Circle Community Association are holding a forum and straw poll on Wednesday, July 21 (both candidates have been invited). Doors open at 7 pm at the Washington Plaza Hotel, 10 Thomas Circle NW.
The first streetcars since 1962 are schedule to hit DC tracks in 2012 on the H Street-Benning Road NE line. The Anacostia line comes next in Phase 1 of the city plans. Phase 2 plans show lines on U Street and 14th Street NW. (Luis Gomez Photos)
After DC Council Chairman Vincent Gray changed his mind, the DC Council reversed itself yesterday and restored fiscal year 2011 funding for work on the H Street-Benning Road NE portion of DC’s new streetcar system.
Earlier in the day, the Council voted 11 to 2 to remove $50 million in streetcar funding as part of efforts to close a $550 million budget gap.
The Washington Post describes the scenario that led to Gray’s change of heart:
But hours later — after a backlash from at least one member of Congress and hundreds of residents who jammed government phone lines, community e-mail groups and Gray’s Web site — the late-night maneuver had been scrapped. By midday Wednesday, Gray was back at the council dais, telling his colleagues that he and city finance officials had found $50 million to keep the streetcar program on track.
Mayor Adrian Fenty strongly supports the planned 37-mile system and the first part of the line is scheduled to open in fall 2012, the H Street-Benning Road NE line. Gray is Fenty’s main challenger in the September 14 Democratic primary for mayor. Gray’s campaign released a statement yesterday afternoon regarding Gray’s support of the new streetcar system.
The next section of Phase 1s the Anacostia line. Phase 2 of the city’s streetcar plans (DDoT map) put tracks in the Logan Circle-U Street area—on 14th Street and U Street NW. The last tracks of DC’s first streetcar system were removed in 1962.
The DC Council is also under great pressure to maintain levels of social services spending as it figures out ways to balance next year’s budget—groups demanding no cuts in social services were at the DC Council Tuesday.
DC political parties hold their primary elections on Septemeber 14 in DC. (Luis Gomez Photos)
On Monday we ran a poll asking Borderstan readers about their choice for mayor in the September 14 Democratic primary. As this is an overwhelmingly Democratic city, the Democratic mayoral primary has always been the vote that counts.
Incumbent Mayor Adrian Fenty took 49% of the vote while his main rival, DC Council Chairman Vincent Gray got 26% and “Other” garnered 4% of reader votes. What might be surprising is the large number of undecided voters, especially with an incumbent in the race: 21% of voters selected “Undecided.”
The recent mayoral race poll at Prince of Petworth was worded differently (Don Pebbles was included), but the results were similar: Fenty at 51% and Gray at 33%.
Who is your choice for mayor? Vote in the reader polll below. (Luis Gomez Photos)
Are you a newcomer to DC? You’ve probably heard there are some local elections this year… that Mayor Adrian Fenty is up for re-election and that his main opponent is DC Council Chairman Vincent Gray.
If the local political scene has you baffled, here is a very very brief backgrounder on mayoral elections before we get to the reader poll. And, for coverage of DC politics, here are some suggestions.
Read the Washington City Paper; its “City Desk” and “Loose Lips” columns/blogs are very informative. The DC Agenda (the weekly gay newspaper) is another good source of information on DC politics as WAMU-88.5 FM. Naturally, the Post covers local politics in detail and the dcist is another good online source of city news.
As noted, the race for DC mayor is underway. Since this is an overwhemingly Democratic city, the Democratic Primary in September (on the 14th this year) has always determined the winner; the November general election is an afterthought. In 2006, the Republican and Green Party candidates got 6% and 4% of the vote, respectively.
Just how Democratic is DC? There are 12 members of the DC Council and a Council chairman. The city’s homerule charter actually reserves two spots for the non-majority party (the Democrats). Both of those seats are now held by independents (David Catania a former Republican and Michael Brown, who is really a Democrat).
The only time there was a serious general election campaign was 1994 when former Councilmember Carol Schwartz got 42% of the vote as a [liberal] Republican. She was running against Marion Barry who was making a comeback after four years out of office; he is now a member of the DC Council from Ward 8 (there is much more to the Barry story, as you undoubtedly know).
Let’s see how Borderstan readers feel about the race for mayor, specifically the September 14 Democratic primary. (Other declared candidates are Leo Alexander and Donna Alston.) It will be interesting to compare our readers versus those of the Prince of Petworth, who recently ran a poll. We will also have reader polls soon for the At-Large Council seats and the Council Chairman.
Note: DC’s primaries are “closed”—you must be registered in a party in order to vote in its primary. Moreover, if you are not registered in a party, you are ineligible to vote in any primary. If you want to vote in the September 14 Democratic primary (or the Republican or the Statehood Green Party), you must be a member of that party.
DC Delegate to Congress Eleanor Holmes Norton delivered an impassioned plea for same-sex marriage to the crowd at Halo Lounge. (Photo: Luis Gomez Photos)
Mayor Adrian Fenty and wife, Michelle, outside Halo Lounge. He said he would sign a same-sex marriage bill expected from the Council. (Photo: Luis Gomez Photos)
Luis and I headed over to Halo Lounge around 6:30 on Friday evening for Mayor Fenty’s “big announcement.” We got there a few minutes late, but Luis did get a photo of the mayor with wife, Michelle, as they left Halo. He was there to announce (not surprisingly) that he would sign the same-sex marriage bill that is expected to be passed by the DC Council later this fall.
There were many political poobahs (yes, it’s a word I love) on hand; I spotted Councilmembers Jim Graham (Ward 1), Mary Cheh (Ward 3) and [I think I saw] Phil Mendelson (At-Large). At-Large Council candidate Clark Ray was there as was DC’s delegate to Congress, Eleanor Holmes Norton. Read the full story
Lupe at the ribbon-cutting ceremony last Thursday for the new dog park on 17th Street NW. Behind Lupe from left: Councilmember Jack Evans, Mayor Adrian Fenty and ANC 2B Chairman Mike Silverstein. (Photo: Luis Gomez Photos.)
Ug. Summer is sort of over, but autumn doesn’t officially begin until September 23. In the meantime, here’s a cute-dog-pic for you: Lupe at the opening of the 17th Street dog park last Thursday with political poobahs.
From left: Jack Evans, Adrian Fenty, Mike Silverstein (chair, ANC 2B-Dupont) and Ximena Hartsock at the inauguration of the dog park today. (Photo: Luis Gomez)
Dogs and owners enjoy the special artificial turf for dogs. (Photo: Luis Gomez)
There was a dog fight shortly after the ribbon cutting today. (Photo: Luis Gomez)
The weather was great for the political poobahs who turned out on a sunny afternoon for the opening of the dog park at 17th-S-New Hampshire NW.
DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, Council Member Jack Evans (Ward 2) and Dr. Ximena Hartsock (Acting Director, Parks & Recreation) cut the ribbon to the converted dog park on 17th Street.
Many dogs and their owners also turned out for the dog park, which was plagued by long delays and an opening date several months after the original deadline.
Unfortunately, there was a dog fight right after the ribbon cutting. It appeared that a big dog got hold of a Chihuahua, but I don’t know if the smaller dog was hurt. One thing missing from this park is the separate area for smaller dogs that is part of the Shaw Dog Park on 11th Street NW.
One thing I hope we don’t see more of at the new dog park: a small child was running around in the middle of the dogs. Small children should never be inside an enclosed area with dogs. What if that dog had gone after the small child instead of the small dog? Note to parents: Please read Child Safety: On Dogs, Dog Parks and Small Children.
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