The past week has seen two men announce their intention to make a run for D.C. Council next year — one for at-large seat and one for for the Ward 4 seat currently held by Muriel Bowser.
Max Skolnik, executive director of Kid Power Inc. and a Petworth resident, announced Friday on the “D.C. Politics Hour” that he plans to run against Bowser. This Saturday, David Grosso, Brookland resident and former chief counsel to D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, plans to kick off his campaign with an event at Colonel Brooks Tavern. He’s seeking the seat now held by At-Large Councilman Michael Brown.
A little about these guys: Skolnik is a husband and father of a 1-year-old boy. On his campaign website he lists priorities like education, economic development and ethics (probably safe to say that last one’s going to be a hot topic for everyone during campaign season). Look for Skolnik, a Democrat, to talk about things like immigrant rights (he’s for passing a D.C. Dream Act), a smart move for a ward highly populated by established and new immigrant families.
He also lists ideas like increasing investment in Georgia Avenue’s Great Streets program and a “comprehensive and enforceable community benefits agreement with Wal-Mart,” a sticking point with those residents opposed to the big box store.
Grosso, an Independent, has similar priorities. His statement on his Facebook page says he wants “to reform city budgets and ethics, to continue the city’s school reform efforts, and to spread smart economic development and jobs to all wards.” He’s an attorney in the private sector, but his resume (in addition to being a Norton staffer) also includes working for former D.C. Councilwoman Sharon Ambrose and running her Economic Development Committee.
Grosso is married and he and his wife have a dog, Frida.
