2006 Washington DC Primary Election Guide

I don't care who you vote for.

Just vote, damn it!

Poll Hours 7am-8pm

***MAYOR***

Democrat Candidates
(Vote for 1)
Michael Brown
Linda Cropp
Nestor Djonkam
Adrin Fenty
Marie Johns
Artee Milligan
Vincent Orange

# Michael Brown is a lobbyist at Alcalde & Fay, a national government relations and public affairs firm. He is the son of Ronald H. Brown, a civil rights activist who was U.S. commerce secretary in the Clinton administration when he died in a plane crash in April 1996. Brown is a third generation Washingtonian. He attended DC public schools. As a lobbyist he has worked closely with members and staffers up on Capitol Hill. He feels this hill experience is important when it comes to fighting for DC statehood and congressional oversight of DC. He is the former vice chair of the DC Boxing and Wrestling Commission and a member of the DCPS Superintendent search committee.

# Linda Cropp is the Chairman of the DC City Council. She is a former teacher and guidance counselor. "As Chairman of the Council, I've brought people together to get things accomplished for our City. I passed ten balanced budgets in a row to help bring the city back from the days of bankruptcy and remove the Control Board. I funded more police officers, earmarked $100 million to the jumpstart the school modernization program, and put a cap on rising property taxes. I established a dedicated revenue source for affordable housing development to help families who live here stay here. With a strong financial foundation, we now have the resources to invest in our people and improve the quality of life for all of us. I bring creative, fiscally responsible plans for better schools, safer streets, and affordable housing to the job of mayor."

# Nestor Djonkam is a mechanical engineer. He did not answer our questionnaire.

# Adrian Fenty is serving his second term on the DC Council representing Ward 4. He is also an attorney. "I bring energy, intelligence, dedication, creativity and the ability to connect with people in the diverse communities of our City--an ability to once again make us one City. I bring a record of success from my two terms on the Council. I introduced and championed the School Modernization Act, the Affordable Housing Task Force Bill, and the first bill banning smoking from all workplaces in the District." Fenty has been endorsed by: The Washington Post, the Washington Teachers' Union, which represents nearly 5,000 teachers, librarians and guidance counselors who work in D.C. public schools, and former DC Mayor/now councilman Marion Barry.

# Marie Johns has been a resident of DC since 1999. She is the retired president and chief executive of Verizon Washington. "I am an experienced executive who started as a secretary and worked my way up to become the President and CEO of one of DC's largest private employers, Verizon, DC. I am a civic leader who has served on various boards to spearhead community efforts, including the Greater Washington Board of Trade, the National Capital Revitalization Corporation and the Anacostia Waterfront Corporation. I am the Founding Chair of the Washington DC Technology Council, and a member of the Senior Board of Stewards of the Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church."

# Artee Milligan is Executive Director of Metropolitan/Delta Adult Literacy Council. Milligan is the chair of a neighborhood community organization that works to improve the quality of life for residents. Milligan's professional career spans over 29 years of business experience in the banking, chemical, energy, and consulting industry. He has worked for leading Fortune 10 companies like Exxon Mobil Corporation and Mobil Corporation and companies like Bearing Point.

# Vincent Orange is currently on the DC Council representing Ward 5. He is also a certified public accountant and attorney. "My experience as a CFO, attorney, tax accountant, auditor, council member and chair of the City Council's government operations committee qualify me to serve as mayor. My love for DC residents, my commitment to providing children with a better chance, my drive for excellence and my penchant for fairness equip me to be successful as mayor."

***The democratic nominee will face David Kranich the Republican candidate and Chris Otten of the Statehood Party. Both of these candidates ran unopposed in the primary.

***Incumbent, Tony Williams, is not seeking re-election.


***DELEGATE TO U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES***

Democrat Candidates
(Vote for 1)
Eleanor Holmes Norton (incumbent)
Andy Miscuk

# Eleanor Holmes Norton is the incumbent. "I have vigorously represented the interests of the citizens of the District of Columbia for eight consistent terms in the House, where I am a Member and in the Senate, where I am not. My record of success in a Republican Congress on issues such as voting rights; $10,000 college grants for D.C. residents to go to any U.S. state college; and saving D.C. gun laws four times--makes the best case for my reelection." She would support legislation which would enable DC to have a Representative--not a delegate--to the U.S. House of Representatives although full congressional voting rights would still remain for the future. But she says she will continue to press for full and equal citizenship rights. Including votes in the Senate.

# Andy Miscuk did not return our questionnaire.


***CHAIRMAN, DC COUNCIL***

Democrat Candidates
(Vote for 1)
Vincent Gray
Kathy Patterson

# Vincent Gray is currently serving his first term on the city council representing Ward 7. He is a native Washingtonian. As a D.C. Council member, Gray was a co-sponsor of the school modernization plan and headed a special committee on youth violence. He is former director of the Association for Retarded Citizens and also Covenant House, a nonprofit for homeless teenagers. He directed the D.C. Department of Human Services from 1991 to 1994.

# Kathy Patterson is a three-term council member -representing Ward 3- who has led three committees and has helped to champion some of the city's biggest initiatives - a school modernization plan, a law banning smoking in bars and restaurants, and civil rights protections for protesters. Patterson is also a former newspaper journalist and communications director for national advocacy organization.

# Linda Cropp is the incumbent. She is running for Mayor.


AT-LARGE MEMBER, DC COUNCIL

Democrat Candidates
Vote for 1)
Phil Mendelson (incumbent)
A. Scott Bolden

# Phil Mendelson is a 2-term incumbent. He was first elected to the council in 1998. Phil Mendelson has been active with District issues since 1975 when he joined the McLean Gardens Residents Association in the fight to save that 43-acre housing complex from destruction. He ran for a seat on the Advisory Neighborhood Commission in 1979 and continued to serve as a Commissioner until his election in November 1998 as an At-Large member of the Council. During the 1980s Mr. Mendelson was a leader against over-development along Wisconsin Avenue. One outcome was removal of a public road from Glover Archbold Park. The controversy also led to zoning changes citywide to protect neighborhoods and improve community participation in the planning process. Another result was the redirection of economic development to other commercial areas needing revitalization.

# A. Scott Bolden is a trial lawyer and former chair of the DC Democratic Party. Other experience includes: Prosecutor, Manhattan District Attorney's Office (1987-91); Attorney Partner, Reed Smith, LLP.; Former member of the Board of Govenors, DC Bar; President, DC Chamber of Commerce (1998); Chair, Recreation Wish List Committee (1999-2002).

***The nominee will face Marcus Skelton the republican challenger and Ann Wilcox the statehood candidate in November.


DC COUNCIL - WARD 1

Democrat Candidates
(Vote for 1)
Jim Graham (incumbent)
Chad Williams

# Jim Graham is seeking his third term on the council. Previously he ran the Whitman Walker Clinic.

# Chad Williams is a real estate development consultant.


DC COUNCIL - WARD 3

Democrat Candidates
(Vote for 1)
Bill Rice
Paul Strauss
Jonathan Rees
Sam Brooks
Erik Gaull
Eric Goulet
Cathy Wiss
Mary Cheh
Robert Gordon

# Sam Brooks is a political consultant.

# Mary Cheh is a a law professor at George Washington University.

# Erik Gaull is former special assistant to the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

# Robert Gordon is a three-term advisory neighborhood commissioner who helped rebuild schools in Iraq.

# Eric Goulet is a former council staff member.

# Jonathan Rees is a healthcare administrator.

# Bill Rice is former spokesperson for the District Department of Transportation.

# Paul Strauss is an attorney specializing in real estate, business and family law. He is serving a second term as Chairperson of the District's Board of Real Property Assessments and Appeals and as DC Shadow Senator, the District's non-voting representative to the US Senate.

# Cathy Wiss is an advisory neighborhood commissioner.

***The winner of this primary will face Republican challenger Theresa Conroy in November. She is running unopposed in primary.

***Kathy Patterson - the incumbent- is running for council chair.


DC COUNCIL - WARD 5

Democrat Candidates
(Vote for 1)
Regina James
Deborah Smith
Bruce Marshall
Audrey Ray
Ron Magnus
Rae Zapata
Joe Harris
Vera Winfield
Frank Wilds
Harry Thomas, Jr.
Kathy Henderson

# Regina James: ANC member. She is a slots opponent and Ward 5 native.

# Deborah Smith: ANC member.

# Bruce Marshall: lifelong Ward 5 resident, city and federal government worker and staffer

# Audrey Ray: is a program administrator.

# Ron Magnus: former DC Office of Attorney General lawyer.

# Rae Zapata: former DCRA official

# Joe Harris: non-profit administrator.

# Vera Winfield: chair if the city's barber and cosmetology board.She has been emphasizing her Ward 5 roots in this campaign

# Frank Wilds: retired businessman and democratic party activist.

# Harry Thomas, Jr: is CEO of Team Thomas--a program that mentors and coaches children and young adults in various learning and sports activities. He is also the son of former Ward 5 councilmember Harry Thomas.

# Kathy Henderson: is a former programming analyst, DC government worker and ANC member.

***This seat is currently held by Vincent Orange. He is running for mayor after serving 2 terms as Ward 5 councilman.


DC COUNCIL - WARD 5

Statehood Green Candidates
(Vote for 1)
Carolyn Steptoe
Phillip Blair, Jr.

***Neither candidate returned our questionnaire.


DC COUNCIL - WARD 6

Democrat Candidates
(Vote for 1)
Leo Pinson
Curtis Etherly, Jr.
Tommy Wells

# Leo Pinson is a management consultant and project manager.

# Curtis Etherly is an attorney.

# Tommy Wells is Executive Director of DC Consortium for Child Welfare. He is also on the DC Board of Education representing District 3 (Wards 5 & 6). He is a former ANC commissioner.

***The winner of this primary will face Republican Tony Williams--who is running unopposed in the republican primary.


SHADOW SENATOR

Democrat Candidates
(Vote for 1)
Michael D. Brown
Phillip Pannell

# Michael Brown is President of Horizon Communications, Inc. He has 26 years experience working for national political and public interest groups, including six Democratic Presidential campaigns and serving at the past seven Democratic National Conventions. Former Administrative Director, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Washington, DC. Former Director of Development, Democratic National Committee. Former ANC Commissioner (ANC 3E). President of the Western Avenue Citizens Association.

Phillip Pannell is Director of Public Affairs, ADA, Inc.; Executive Director, Anacostia Coordinating Council. Former Occupations: Executive Assistant to President of the DC Board of Education, Peggy Cooper Cafritz; Special Assistant to Mayor Anthony Williams for LGBT Affairs; staff member of the DC City Council.

***The winner of this primary will face Statehood/Green Party candidate Joyce Robinson-Paul in November


SHADOW REPRESENTATIVE

Democrat
(Vote for 1)
Mike Panetta
John Forster
James Bubar

# Mike Panetta is Assistant Vice President of Grassroots Enterprise. "I see the job of the Shadow Representative as raising awareness about the District's lack of voting rights. My strategy is to make sure more people outside of the District of Columbia are made aware of our plight. We need to have soccer moms in Kansas, union workers in North Carolina, technology executives in Silicon Valley, and progressive bloggers around the country taking this issue on. I plan on building a grassroots network of activists who will lobby their own Members of Congress for DC budget autonomy, representation, and additional federal funds."

# John Forster is a financial advisor. "I believe the primary focus of the Shadow Representative is to support our Delegate on Capitol Hill to move legislation through the congressional committees. The House Judiciary Committee will soon be considering the DC voting rights bills of both Representatives Tom Davis (HR 5388) and Dana Rohrabacher (HR 190). I will make sure that Congress sees our Shadow! "

# James Bubar is an attorney. "As the Co-chair of the Bar's DC Affairs Section, I advocated voting rights on the Hill, supporting the "No Taxation Without Representation" by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, and the new "DC Fair and Equal House Voting Rights" bill. As Alternate National Committeeman, I helped draft resolutions of the Democratic National Committee and District of Columbia Democratic State Committee for full voting rights. As a John Kerry Delegate, I advocated voting rights at the Democratic Convention in Boston."

***The winner in this primary will face Keith Ware of the Statehood Green Party in November.

I'll post the results tomorrow morning.

Best bar bet in the world: Delilah didn't do it.
Judges 16:19-- And she made him (Samson) sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off the seven locks of his head.