September 8, 2008
D.C. Primary Tomorrow; Practice Your Voting Technique
Let's face it -- a local election in an off year and in the midst of a heated presidential campaign won't attract much attention, much less lots of voters. And tomorrow's District primary likely isn't much of an exception.
While in 2006 the mayoral battle between Linda Cropp and Adrian Fenty and the contest for the chairmanship of the D.C. Council gave that year's electoral season a certain buzz, tomorrow's choices haven't provoked the same intensity. But amidst the lower key contests -- which include the council seats for wards 2, 4, 7, 8 and two At-Large; two out of three slots on the shadow delegation; the sole delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives; and the Democratic State Committee -- there are a few battles that may have gotten more attention had they coincided with a livelier local election year in the District.
Patrick Mara vs. Carol Schwartz: Mara, something of a political novice, is aiming to unseat one of the District's longest-serving political figures. In the surprise of this year's election season, a heated battle has emerged in this At-large Republican primary, with Mara picking up the support of some major players in the business community, raking in donations and otherwise hammering at Schwartz for not being Republican enough. (He has derisively referred to her as a "Republicat.") Schwartz, who was late to the game in announcing her intention to run and even later in actually starting to run, has fallen back on her ability to survive a number of challenges in her years in District politics. Will she survive this one? Maybe, but only barely. While the City Paper's Loose Lips and the Post's Metro columnist Marc Fisher have thrown their weight behind her, the Post's editorial page came out against her in an editorial in which they called her "unrelentingly negative." Ouch.
Cary Silverman vs. Jack Evans: Evans is the very kind of of council member who plenty of people love to hate -- a lobbyist with a powerhouse D.C. firm, unabashedly close to business interests, the main guy responsible for the $700 million the city has spent bringing baseball back. Then again, he represents one of the wards where that type of stuff is par for the course. Silverman has chided Evans for not being a full-time representative for Ward 2 and tossed around somewhat vague allegations that Evans doesn't care about neighborhood issues. Beyond that, he hasn't got much on the Council's longest-serving member. The Post and the City Paper both like Evans, and we're guessing so too will the voters of his ward.
Phil Pannell vs. Paul Strauss: Wait, there's really a battle for an unpaid job that has virtually no perks (well, expect for meeting Hayden Panetierre) and even less by way of real power? Yep. Strauss, one of the District's two shadow senators, is fending off an able challenger in Ward 8 activist Phil Pannell. Is Strauss, who has occupied the non-office since 1996, likely to be unseated? Probably not. But that's not to say that a little, errr, diversity in the shadow delegation wouldn't be a good thing.
Marion Barry vs. The World: It's safe to say that not even Pope Benedict XI and his red hot shoes couldn't run Barry out of District politics. But a few contenders are trying, including Sandra Seegars and Charles Wilson (who was favored by the Post and City Paper). Best of luck to them, and best of luck to the city -- like a new anti-Barry blog says, "Because there comes a time when enough is enough."
Norton Vs. No One: Eleanor Holmes Norton won't yield to any of her 434 colleagues in the House of Representatives when it comes to voting rights, nor will she be facing any competition this year. Maybe if we ever get a real voting seat in the House we'll have something approaching a contest.
Polls are open on Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. All the information you need to find your precinct is at the newly-redesigned website for the Board of Elections and Ethics. Go vote.
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This is why the District (and a lot of other states) should have moved their entire primaries up, not just the presidential primary.
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I'm certainly going to miss my mailbox being full of glossy Republicat fliers
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Schwartz is unrelentingly negative? Methinks nobody on the Post's editorial staff is a registered Republican voter in the District. The phone and mailbox here have been filled with anti-Schwartz propaganda since before Mara even announced his candidacy. Vague cold call surveys asking, "would you consider voting against Carol Schwartz?" started months ago.
I would have actually considered voting against her -- if a qualified, non-irritating candidate were running against her -- but the Mara machine (and the "Citizens for Empowerment PAC") have completely me put me on her side. Also the people they have calling aren't the brightest young things. My girlfriend answered the phone one day and got the question of who she'd vote for between the two, and she said, "neither. I'm a registered Democrat." Instead of asking for the Republican they'd called, they just hung up. Oops.
And as much as I loves me some clean air indoors, the smoking ban was a bad bill and I was pretty proud of Carol for being against it. The Post can suck on it.
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Ward 2: Vote for Cary. He wants to help and promote small business.
Under Jack Evans DC has the worst small business survival rate in the nation:
http://www.sbecouncil.org/Media/pdf/SBSI_2007.pdf
VOTE FOR CARY!
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first of all, how about asking some registered ward 2 democrats how they feel about the race instead of proclaiming how they're going to vote from your perch in ward 6, martin. i'll agree with you, i think jack will win, but cary has a very very strong base in the ward.
secondly, are you actually throwing out the idea that pannell should win just because he's not a white male? on its face, that seems mighty shallow...
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Vote for Cary! Maybe!
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IMGoph,
I'm waiting for someone from Ward 2 to throw in those opinions! Since you seem to be volunteering...
As for Pannell, no, I think there are plenty of reasons above the color of his skin why he could win. Then again, Strauss does truly seem to enjoy the job and has made some positive contributions to an otherwise thankless job.
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Of course Carol Schwartz is a "Republicat". With registered Republicans making up what, about 8% of the electorate in DC, tried-and-true Republicanism is a tough sell here. If Mara wins, it will be fun watching him try to go all Barry Goldwater on DC.
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"Vague allegations that Evans doesn't care about neighborhood issues" There is nothing vague about it - Jack does not care about any of the residents in the Shaw area. Period. Compare his western neighborhoods with the eastern neighborhoods and you will see the difference. Look at the current state of the Waltha T. Daniels public library in Shaw and the state of the Georgetown public library - which one is actually a constructed, up and running building? [And no, it was not the residents that kept the new Shaw library from being built] Ride up and down 9th Street NW tonight before you go vote tomorrow and see how much Jack cares about the residents of NW DC to the east of Logan Circle. Have you looked around at the abandoned properties in Shaw? Have you noticed if they are paying taxes on those properties or not and at what rate? Have you researched who owns those properties? And what the owner's relationship with Jack is? How long did it take to get Spotshotter installed *completely* in Shaw? Who spearheaded that? It certainly wasn't Jack Evans - he was just there to claim the glory when it was officially turned on ... but after the next round of gunfire we the residents found that we had been lied to ... again ... it wasn't up and running in Shaw yet. And Jack decided that the residents of Gallery Place weren't important enough to have protection in the noise-reduction bill this year.
If I were a multi-property owner in DC or a wealthy developer who wants to develop along New York Avenue, why yes, I'd back Jack - 'cause he's got my back. But I'm not, I am a resident who deserves the same quality of life in DC that the rest of Ward 2 receives.
No "vague allegations", the truth is all around you when you travel through Shaw.
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Also, as to the Ward 2 race, Cary has a strong bank of supporters in the Shaw/Logan/Mt Vernon area, but the farther west you go the more Jack Evans signs you see. Ward 2 is a big ward, and I just don't see Cary pulling in much support in areas Dupont and west.
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Read more opinions on the Ward 2 contest here:
http://districtschmistrict.wordpress.com/2008/09/08/lets-do-some-voting/
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martin: of course, as a ward 5 voter, i have as much say in the silverman/evans contest as you do—that is to say, none.
but, i will say this. evans has his base locked up. the wealthy end of his ward (georgetown, foggy bottom/the west end, and dupont). the end of the ward where there is public housing, where there is ongoing change from vacant storefronts to thriving business districts....they are not jack's base.
those people are not succeeding because of the councilmember, they are in spite of him.
i've said it to anyone who will listen—a truly ward-based councilmember (which even his backers have to agree he is not...mr. evans lives to play on the chessboard of the entire city, not just ward 2) would push harder and advocate more thoroughly for the little people in the ward who need help. the business community of georgetown and dupont don't need help....they are doing well, they have inherent geographical and economic advantages, and they can fend for themselves.
shaw, and the eastern part of ward 2, could use an advocate who is out there all the time using the FULL thrust of the city bureaucracy to help those small businesses thrive, to help those business communities grow and get through those first couple years that are always the most difficult for a start-up commercial enterprise. mr. evans simply doesn't do that.
i'm not saying he's a terrible councilmember, but the fact is that the part of HIS WARD that needs the MOST help isn't getting it from him. someone who will actually dedicate all their time fighting for the little guys is what ward 2 needs at this juncture. jack evans that ain't...
that's my piece...
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What no comments on Ward 4?
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"Compare his western neighborhoods with the eastern neighborhoods and you will see the difference."
I know, seriously. Jack Evans is single handedly responsible for the economic state of Shaw. That bastard has the power to turn around the decades of economic despair with a snap of his fingers, oh, but also, that turn around will somehow not displace all the long term residents. Maybe!
Kidding aside, I do suspect that Evans does not pay much attention to Shaw. Frankly the Ward 2 boundaries make just about no sense, demographically. Dupont and the West End ought to be incorporated into Ward One; Georgetown and Burleith into Ward Three; Logan and Shaw into Ward 4 or 5. (Or at the very least, Georgetown and Burleith should be kicked out of Ward 2, and let Ward 2 become more "downtown" focused) As it is, you've got somebody who is asked to look out for neighborhoods as economically diverse as Georgetown to Shaw. I imagine it's hard not to spend more time in the neighborhoods with more cash to give to your campaign.
Although, for what it's worth, Georgetown's library is hardly "up and running", or did you forget the massive fire there?
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14thandYou ... the reason you don't see the Cary signs is that as soon as Cary's supporters post legal campaign signs, they seem to disappear overnight. One resident in on his third Cary yard sign right now. And I can refer you to the group of residents who worked hard to place Cary signs along P St NW from 23rd west to Wisconsin avenue only to have them disappear the next day.
You may want to check out another Jack Evans perk ... more evidence showing how much he cares about his residents ...
http://chappleanc.com/shaw/20080907cmevanscar.html
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There are pockets of support of Silverman in Dupont and Georgetown, primarily amongst those who have been more-or-less priced out of living in these areas. As a Dupont resident, I'm lucky that I live in a place where the rent is still affordable. But Evans has succeeded in making mono-class (upper-class) neighborhoods out of Georgetown and Dupont, pushing those with less income farther and farther east in the Ward.
The thing with Evans is that he's a known name all over the Ward, and has a loyal fan base amongst the wealthy factions who vote in every election. He has money to pay for good field managers, and that pays dividends on election day (e.g. buses to help seniors get to the polls, etc.). Silverman doesn't have that kind of money to spend.
Frankly, I'm supporting Silverman (with a lot of reservations) because I'm sicked by the strip malls that Dupont Circle and M Street have become at the expense of local retailers. The hold-outs are lucky to remain, but even they are feeling the pressure from the mega-developers. Evans cleaned up these places at the expense of their soul, and it's time for a change in attitude.
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Uh... Foggy Bottom Jack. GW, anyone?
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"14thandYou ... the reason you don't see the Cary signs is that as soon as Cary's supporters post legal campaign signs, they seem to disappear overnight."
Oh right, Silverman actually has *loads* of supporters in Georgetown/Foggy Bottom/Dupont, but they can't express it because his signs are constantly getting removed? Come on. My comment was meant to be purely anecdotal, in the sense that Silverman's base is *not* located in areas Dupont and west. He may have some supporters there, but it's not his base. I'm all for honest debate between the two candidates, but laying claim to the idea that Silverman would have a better chance in the western areas of the ward were it not for constant sign theft by Evans supporters is a bit much.