February 22, 2006
Graham Stays in Ward 1, Gray Goes for Council Chair
DCist has learned from a reliable source that Council-member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) will seek re-election to his current seat, ending months of speculation as to whether he would challenge Council-member Kathy Patterson (D-Ward 3) for the council's top spot. Council-member Vincent Gray (D-Ward 7) will challenge Patterson, though, a decision he is set to announce on Friday during an appearance on WTOP.
Gray's decision has long been expected, but will no doubt present itself as unwelcome news to Patterson. She has campaigned unopposed to date, hoping to amass a campaign war chest large enough to dissuade Gray or Graham from challenging her. And while Patterson's campaign has thus far raised $106,742, she was roundly criticized earlier this year when her promise to vote for the stadium lease before the council was rewarded by a fundraiser organized by D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams and former council-member and current MLB lobbyist John Ray.
It is widely thought that a challenge from Gray or Graham would severely threaten Patterson's nascent campaign, though Gray may have to work harder for votes after having been criticized for being one of the four crucial swing votes that helped pass the stadium lease two weeks ago. Marc Fisher, the Post's Metro columnist, is similarly reporting this morning that current mayoral candidates Vincent Orange (D-Ward 5) and Marie Johns may abandon their campaigns and shoot for the council chair instead, additions that could divide the African-American vote and help Patterson.
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I really doubt that Graham could get elected to counsel chair so I think he is playing safe, like he did when he thought about running for the at-large seat that Kwame won. Anyone know who is running against him in Ward One?
Marie Johns would make a great addition to the council; I would love to see her run for the seat in Ward 3 where she lives.
I can't imagine anyone with enough clout to run against Graham and win ward 1.
Bruce...
The race for DC Council Chair is wide open. Any legitimate contender could win, Jim Graham included.
Graham's citywide job approval is as high as Patterson's and higher than Gray's. Graham's ability to raise $ surpasses that of Gray and Patterson COMBINED.
Patterson has yet to demonstrate a knack for campaigning. She announced in September, hasn't moved up in the polls at all, hasn't made news as a candidate, doesn't have a functional website, and has very little $$$ to show for 5 months of shaking the trees.
Gray, very qualified but new to most DC voters, will be challenged to raise his name ID and the funds required to mount an effective citywide effort.
Both Gray and Patterson flip-flopped on the stadium vote.
Graham, if he ran, would have the resources, the record and a platform untouchable by these opponents.
I am certainly hoping that there are more viable candidates for the Council Chair seat. Kathy Patterson has done little distinguish herself in many terms as the Ward 3 representative. The recent initiatives appear to be nothing more than political cover and grandstanding.
There are a couple of pretty obvious reasons Jim Graham would have a tough time running citywide, which is IMHO a real shame and a loss for the city, but is at the same time a blessing for those of us in W1.
Can someone explain why the Council Chair is elected by the people and not say by the Council?
"Both Gray and Patterson flip-flopped on the stadium vote.
Graham, if he ran, would have the resources, the record and a platform untouchable by these opponents."
Ummmm...why did you leave Graham off of your flip-flop list? Remember his Library pet-cause? He sold his vote to Mayor baseball when the council first tried to foul up a good thing for our city. But at the last second, he flopped back and got neither his library nor the outcome he wished for on the baseball in DC.
I live in Ward One and have a tremendous amount of respect for Jim Graham, but he is perhaps the biggest flip-flopper on the council. Unfortunately for him, he lacks the balls to follow through.
Bruce, Marie John lives in Ward 4.
Ward 1 res-
(from a fellow Ward 1 res...)
What do you mean about Graham flip flopping? My recollection is that he has been consistently against the stadium from the getgo (which, I might add, I totally disagree with, though I give Jim a pass on that issue because he has at least been consistent, and he has in every other regard been an awesome Ward 1 rep).
DC1974,
Read the home rule charter... that's where the Council structure is outlined, including the odd requirement that two Council members must always be from a non-majority party.
Call me stupid, buy why is it that Graham would be unelectable for the chair? Is it because he's gay? White? Is it the bowtie? He has less cutesy glasses nowadays, will that help?
I support the fact that the (registered democratic) people vote for council chair. If it were the case that the council voted, then (potentially) a councilman only directly answerable to a single ward could be chair. I prefer having a chair directly answerable to all (democraticly registered) people.
As for us independents, maybe we can start our own "no taxation without meaningful general elections" movement...
Nope, she lives in Ward 3. Her son and his family live in Ward 5.
DC1974,
ogc/tit4.htm#401"> Click Here for a link to the full text on the Council Chair in the Home Rule Charter.
Jim did flip-flop on the stadium very early on:
Stadium Backers In Line for Reward
“Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), for instance, agreed Monday to vote for Williams's stadium package after the mayor promised to sign separate legislation dedicating $45 million to rebuilding the city's underfunded public library system.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A38091-2004Nov9.html
Marie John’s website says she lives in Ward 3, http://www.johnsformayor.com/
Loose Lips did a good synopsis of Graham's record last year. It's in archives, but it had to do with Graham reversing position on supporting Fenty for Mayor once it became clear Cropp was getting in. Here are the other points LL made in the story
"You can count on one thing from Ward 1 D.C. Councilmember Jim Graham: He’s a tough guy to count on.
A brief history of the councilmember’s fence-sitting:
•At various points last year, Graham both supported and opposed a takeover of the city’s schools by Mayor Anthony A. Williams. He called the status quo unacceptable but voted against the takeover.
•Last year, he worked his supporters into a frenzy by hinting that he would run for the at-large seat then occupied by Harold Brazil. He fueled the fire by releasing a poll showing he could win. He even picked a day for his announcement. Then he said that Council Chairman Linda Cropp had talked him out of it.
•He briefly pledged to vote with the mayor for a new baseball stadium in return for some library money but then sided with the anti-stadium rabble."
who are the council members up for reelection this year?
On every occasion Jim Graham voted against the stadium legislation.
Legislators negotiate and float trial baloons. Graham's libray deal was an instrument in a potential negotiation.
When the votes were cast, Graham's record is consistent: he said "No" to the stadium lease.
ward 1 graham incumbent
ward 3 open
ward 5 open(so far)
ward 6 open
counilmember at large mendelson incumbent
chairman of council open
mayor open
i think
marie lives up near the AU law school
ward 3
thanks yolanda, I thought cantania was up also
I'm pretty sure Catania is up for reelection. I'm interested to see whether the Republicans, or another party tries to run someone against him.
Will the Gray v Patterson race be decided along racial lines and what appeal does Patterson really have in the African American and Latino communities?
Why is there such a crowded field up in ward 3 to replace Patterson?
I think there are six candidates but does anybody think any of them will drop out before the primary?
DC elections, just like most national elections, will always be decided over racial lines, vincent gray will carry wards 4,5,6,7 and 8 with no problems and patterson will carry wards 2 and 3, with ward 1 up for grabs, graham wouldnt have a chance in this race, no way a majority black city will elect a gay white to city wide office, and pllllllllleeeeeeeeaaaaaaassssssssseeeeeeee somebody run against cantania, we should all be sick and tired of his bitching and moaning
gay white democrat I meant to say
I wouldn't assume that Patterson will carry Ward 3. She has left a lot to be desired from a constituent services standpoint. As mentioned earlier, she also has not really distinguished herself from a legislative standpoint either.
Andrew are you a ward 3 resident and if yes, what is your feel on that 6 person race in the ward? Who will stay, who will drop out and what do you feel?
I wouldn't be surprised if some more enter the race. It is entirely possible that 7,000 votes could win the seat, if everyone currently running stays in.
Gordon, Wiss and Gaull are from different neighborhoods, and could conceiveably carry their neighborhoods. Gaull is known from his last race. Wiss and Gordon, as best as I can tell, will represent the anti-development/non-growth/older residents of the Ward.
Cheh will probably recieve the endorsement from the incumbant. She has a very impressive background. It will be interesting to see her policy statements as they are developed and released.
Brooks will appeal to the younger residents of the Ward;
i am a white gay ward 2 resident. i will vote for vincent gray over kathy patterson. i watched her temper tantrums on the dias and she is unfit to lead the city council. she should run for president of the school board.
For the at-large race, Catania and Mendelson (or whoever wins the Democratic primary) will actually be on the same ballot in November, along with a Republican, I imagine, and someone from the Statehood Green Party, and perhaps more. Voters will be asked to choose two from the list, so the winners are quite likely to be the Democrat and Catania.
I believe that Gordon and Wiss will drop out due to a lack of support.
I believe that Gaull will do poorly this time as people will not forget the rotten things he did to Patterson last time round and he is now in deep disfavor in the Palisades and was booted out of his own Palisades Citizens Association.
Cheh is good but I do not see her having the endurance to reach the entire ward.
I am putting my money on Brooks or Rees. Why?
Brooks will appeal to the young, he is energetic and is more open to new ideas.
Rees will appeal to those unhappy with the tax issues, government mismanagement and will by default get that 1000 plus Hispanic vote.
Watch these two five months from now as the others will just be names.
As this is a thread about Ward 1, might I suggest you join the conversations about Ward 3 either at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ward3dc/
or
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ward3notes/
thanks KC i forgot how that worked but i appreciate being reminded! i think we'll have Catania for 4 more years.
marie johns is the x factor, if she decides to drop out of the mayoral race and run for ward 3 council member she could probably smoke all of those guys
Andrew, this Ward3notes is not a real discussion group for anybody who wants to hear facts about the candidates or issues but designed merely to lampoon one of the candidates.
Grow up Andrew. People in Ward 3 are not interested in such childishness but are quickly turned off by the perpetrators of such.
Brooks and Gaull have no chance of winning the ward 3 race.
If you look at our limited history, you will find that when a person has run before for city council and lost and then tried again, they lost the second time and got less votes the second time round.
Based upon the foregoing, I would disqualify these two men from winning.
Gee. Let's guess who FKZ is: Rees
And for bonus points, can you spot the other two Rees aliases on this thread? My money's on "M" and "Margaret."
I think we all know who FKZ is.
yawn.
FKZ is not Rees but somebody who is not interested in reading garabage.
I am here to read about facts, listen to serious discussion by people who know what they are talking about and anything that might add light to issues up for grabs. The fact that I might not agree with you or express an opinion you do not like does not equate me as being somebody you might disgaree with.
Yup. I pick "M", "Margaret" and "FKZ". And whatever new alias he picks to answer this post.
The only two people I can remember running for Council again, after losing the first time, are Phil Mendelson and Vincent Orange. It obviously worked out OK for them. What are the other examples? It's also interesting to note there are also at least two candidates in other Wards (Keith Perry in 6 and Harry Thomas Jr in 5) that are running again after losing the first time.
When somebody like Andrew attempts to direct our attention to a discussion group that is filled with hatefulness and designed with a sole objective, then that shows me what kind of person he is.
When I state a fact and then wish to associate it with our current ward race, then if you do not agree then say so but if I had said what they wanted to hear then there would not be a word coming from their empty minds.
For those of you playing the on-line Rees Alias Post Drinking Game, it's time to take another shot.
We'll all be drunk by midnight, at the rate he's going tonight.
marie doesn't have any plans to run for council, she's sticking to the mayoral race.
So you immature kids want to play that Rees routine. Let us play it.
Rees is an unknown and untested commodity, a bit right of the center in his views and is banking on an angry taxpayer who feels that cutting the size of government will cut their burden. This is the jist of his campaign. Will it be a winner for him or what.
He does know his stuff, he expresses it well but nobody really knows where he stands on other key issues as I have yet to see him say anything other than on the issues of economics.
Again, how angry voters are about their tax burden will be the fate of his campaign.
Robert Gordon has a very simple website but also does not say very much.
His website is as dry as he is sorry to say.
http://www.gordon2006.org
Kathy Patterson has already made it clear that she will not come out an endorse any of her possible successors.
We can confirm that FKZ, Margaret, and Jonathan Rees share an IP address.
Oh, Come ON JR. That's no fun! Make up something ridiculous and yet unproveable about Brooks! Let's here some Class A grandiosity and a few veiled threats! A tall tale, an impossible conspiracy, a full-on distortion. SOMETHING. Come on, you're disappointing your public. At the very least, call someone a Nazi or a "faggot."
Your fans want wacked-out and mean and unintentionally amusing!!!! Remember, you're only as memorable as your last embarassing outburst. Always leave 'em wanting more.
(Or, no, on second thought. Please don't)
Or we may have the some internet service provider.
DCist Ryan:
So how many shots is that worth? I'm pretty wobbly already ;-)
(Thanks for posting the IPs addies. No one in the Rees Drinking Game club is surprised, but it's nice to see the proof sometimes.)
Time for me to have some black coffee...
The spot-the-Rees-aliases drinking game! I love it! But we do need a non-alcohol version, because as "we have a winner" pointed out, we'll get drunk way to fast.
"The same internet service provider.." Hysterical!
So, who here wants to explain to FKZ Rees exactly what's wrong with that explanation. No, wait. Don't. It'll spoil the fun.
For those of you who are curious, FKZ is posting from an IP address used by Jonathan Rees and his many other aliases.
I don't think Mr. Rees realizes quite the net in which he's enmeshing himself. Having received some unpleasant stuff from the man, it's hard to laugh about it. But easy to drink to.
Ryan of the 10 people who actually read this trashy blog of your's I would like to know more about Martin's past involvemnet in the communist party and is that why you left North Carolina?
Was it the memory of your communist brothers being wiped out in a gun battle in Greensboro by the KKK that caused you out of fear to move up north?
Ryan did you come from a typical NC mill village like Ahseville, Hickory or are you just a back woods red neck trying to rid yourself of a hillybilly accent?
Martin when you were selling THE MILITANT newspapers did you turn in the money or did you pocket it?
let's leave him in the empty room. It's fun to watch what happens then.
Wne you can't get a real job, be a blogger.
I may have alcohol poisoning at this point. We may have to change to a different game. Maybe we could play Rees Boggle, or Chutes and ReesAlias Ladders or the Hungry Hungry Rees Aliases next time.
Let us play BASH THE BLOGGERS.
When you can't get a real job, DCist will hire you to be a blogger.
Where is Carmen Santiago and what is his IP address?
Ahhhh, what a great morning! I awoke to find an email from Jonathan Rees with the following in super large text: "Good Morning Asshole."
Beyond the increasing number of personalities Rees makes up for himself and then promptly denies, this seems to be a good reason he should not ever be allowed near an elected office.