So much for the idea of any high-profile politicians endorsing the re-elect Adrian Fenty write-in campaign. The two D.C. Council members who supported Mayor Fenty in the Democratic primary have now endorsed Vince Gray as they seek to close Democratic Party ranks and maneuver to keep the presumptive mayor’s attention on their wards.
Ward 2 Councilman Jack Evans’ and Ward 4 Councilwoman Muriel Bowser’s public endorsements of Gray to be the city’s next mayor are part of the tradition in the near one-party town: Once the voters have made their choice, the Democrats publicly back the victor. Bowser made her endorsement Thursday afternoon at a D.C. Democrats get-out-the-vote rally. The night before she and other Fenty supporters gathered in Ward 4 to help raise cash for the Vince Gray for Mayor campaign. Evans took his supporting stance Thursday night when he introduced the soon-to-be-mayor at Gray’s town hall meeting in Ward 2.
It was only a few months ago that Evans appeared in a Fenty campaign advertisement, telling voters that he knew “Adrian Fenty can work well with others.” On Thursday night, Evans introduced Gray as his longtime friend.
That type of switch is nothing new for Evans, who pointed out to The Washington Examiner that he has endorsed the losing candidate in every mayoral race since 1990, and has then backed the winner after the primary.
“Whoever becomes the Democratic nominee is the person I support,” Evans said. “As a ward councilman, it’s important that I have a good relationship with the mayor. … The one person in the city who can deliver for my ward is the mayor.”
Evans’ backing of Fenty in the primary also put him in line with Ward 2 voters, who overwhelmingly supported the mayor in the primary.
Not so for Bowser. She endorsed Fenty in the spring and then watched her ward, which once elected Fenty as its councilman, swing heavily for Gray.
On Thursday, Bowser adopted Gray’s campaign rhetoric, saying “we want one city,” and then adding “we want to continue the city’s forward progress and that’s why [Gray] will have my vote.” Bowser could not be reached for comment on her change of mind.
“That’s life in a one-party town,” said David Hedgepeth, the Republican candidate who is running against Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh. “What other choice do they have? Back the [Fenty] write-in campaign? That’s politically dangerous. There’s not a whole lot of options.”
