It's only been two days since Mayor Adrian Fenty conceded in his bid for re-election, and both inside and outside the District, political reporters and analysts of all stripes are dissecting how a guy with almost $5 million to burn and an enviable set of results to tout could have fared so poorly. more ›

Council member Phil Mendelson (D-At-Large) may have been the single most relieved person to show up at Vince Gray's victory party in the whee hours of Wednesday morning. Not only did the guy he endorsed win the city's highest office, but Mendelson managed to win a re-election contest -- he took in 63 percent of the votes -- that was made surprisingly tight because of confusion over his competitor's name. more ›

Come next Tuesday, Michael D. Brown may well unseat incumbent Council member Phil Mendelson (D-At Large) because many voters think he's actually Council member Michael A. Brown (I-At-Large). But to fight the impression that he's simply riding the confusion over a name to office, Brown has put up some campaign signs around town and raised over $23,000 in campaign funds. Well, $15,000 of that was a personal loan from himself to the campaign, but hey, at least he's going through the motions. more ›

For being one of the unluckiest guys in local politics, Clark Ray comes across as nothing short of hopelessly optimistic and perpetually motivated. more ›

For a while there, it was fun to joke about Michael D. Brown actually winning an At-Large seat on the D.C. Council that he barely campaigned for and raised no money to pursue. Even with his recent victory in a Ward 5 straw poll, most people assumed that voters would eventually realize that he wasn't Councilmember Michael A. Brown (I-At Large), a well-liked political figure who ran for mayor in 2006. more ›

For your Sunday reading pleasure, we are trying a new idea: Sunday chit-chat with a newsmaker or other interesting personality from the area. In this first installment we talk with Clark Ray. more ›

It's a question that we've all asked: what's up with Council member Phil Mendelson (D-At Large)? more ›

Last night's Ward 4 straw poll and forum was far too lively for words alone, so let's go to the video footage! The images are a little grainy and the audio leaves much to be desired, but you're not really going to watch this to learn about the intricacies of school testing or municipal finances. Hit play and just listen for the cheering, jeering, booing, and yelling that accompanied virtually every answer from front-runners Vince Gray and Adrian Fenty. more ›

A wide range of District political candidates gathered at One Judiciary Square last night to make their case to members of D.C. for Democracy why the organization should support their candidacies in the September Democratic primary. Everyone from the mayor to would-be shadow representatives showed up to make their case. Endorsements should be handed down in the coming weeks. more ›

As residents and city officials grapple with one of the deadliest crimes ever in the District, one local candidate was quick to use Tuesday night's mass shooting on South Capitol Street as part of his campaign for elected office. more ›

Over the long weekend, DCist spotted the first yard sign we've seen so far for D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty's re-election campaign. This sign, with its trademark Fenty green, was planted in front of a home in the Logan Circle neighborhood. We've also seen a few blue and white Clark Ray for D.C. Council At-large signs popping up outside businesses in the Dupont Circle neighborhood's 17th Street corridor. more ›

Word hit the street this morning that Mayor Adrian Fenty had fired D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation director Clark Ray yesterday, and he's already named a replacement. City Desk has the scene at today's presser announcing former D.C. public schools principal Ximena Hartsock as Ray's replacement. Hartsock had been running afterschool and summer school programs for Michelle Rhee/DCPS. Earlier this morning, D.C. Wire reported that at least a few people are befuddled as to the decision to let Ray go, and there's speculation that it could have been related to a lawsuit recently filed by former DPR employee Michael Williams. Williams alleges that he was improperly fired after raising questions about whether the mayor's sons were participating in a youth basketball league that they were too old for. more ›