If the Ward 6 Democrats are any indication, Tommy Wells is well on his way to replacing Sharon Ambrose as the next Ward 6 D.C. Council representative.
The District 3 School Board member and a former advisory neighborhood commissioner, Wells easily won a Ward 6 Democratic straw poll Tuesday, taking 119 votes, or 55 percent of all votes cast. Curtis Etherly, a Coca-Cola executive and former legislative aide to Republican Council Member Carol Schwartz, came in second with 30 votes, or 14 percent. Leo Pinson was third with 23 votes.
Wells cited name recognition and years working with Ward 6 residents for his victory. But it would be “foolish,” he said, to take the landslide for granted.
“I really see myself aggressively going after every vote in Ward 6,” he said.
Ambrose has already endorsed Wells.
Ward 6 includes Capitol Hill, the H Street Corridor and Kingman Park.
“For all intents and purposes, the race seems to be over,” said Jim Myers, a longtime Capitol Hill-area activist. “I don’t know how anyone else could mount a successful challenge at this point.”
Frank Zampatori, another active forum participant, said Wells had the name recognition and the most organized straw poll campaign, which included a phone bank.
More straw poll results
» 18 undecided
» Eight for “other”
» Seven for Will Cobb
» Two for Keith Jarrell
