Endorsements: Bowser, Mendelson et al.
By • June 18, 2018 0 586
While it may be a primary election lacking any real drama or contention, The Georgetowner shall weigh in on the Democratic primary to be held June 19. (Sorry, other parties, you have one person on your ballot.)
It may be a problem that the District of Columbia is a one-party city. We agree with our West End neighbor Colbert King who opined: “Power in the District rests in the hands of a relatively small group of like-minded Democratic politicians. There is no viable opposition party to hold the D.C. government accountable. Alternative policies and choices in governance are missing when one party controls all the action.”
But we must deal with the cards we are dealt, therefore:
Mayor Muriel Bowser
In a seemingly prosperous city, her star continues to brighten. The one-time Council member has become the leading advocate for our city, dealing with its booming development, as well as looking for ways to ensure all Washingtonians benefit from good economic times — such as affordable housing. Bowser knows there is more work to be done, of course, and will do more in a second term, tackling failures in the public schools and the Metro system. The Georgetowner newspaper supports her reelection.
Council Chairman Phil Mendelson
As a Georgetowner profile affirmed, Phil Mendelson is steady at the helm of the District Council. “My role now is to look for compromise and lead the deliberations to get something done,” he told us in March, when we wrote: “Since Mendelson became chairman, there have been a lot more compromises and a lot more unanimous votes than in the past. And surprisingly, he noted, the meeting times have shortened to three to four hours.” Steady wins the race. His is an important position for the District that Mendelson fills with careful consideration, a sense of balance and fiscal responsibility. We support his reelection.
Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton
The District’s longtime non-voting delegate to Congress — 14 terms — Eleanor Holmes Norton just keeps on trucking for our constituents. She is well known on Capitol Hill and calls out her opponents often — but not often enough for some, who see her push for D.C. statehood as too accommodating within the give-and-take of the halls of Congress. She has also been part of the push for development in the city. That said, we are impressed with her one opponent in the Democratic primary, Kim Ford, who should stay involved on political scene for the sake of her city and for having a choice. Nevertheless, we support Norton’s reelection.
Two important, but unopposed, candidates are Ward 3 Council member Mary Cheh and D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine. We support them, but it might be good to hear other voices here, too.
