D.C. statehood is now the backbone of the stump speech Democratic mayoral nominee Vince Gray is making at public appearances, replacing education reform as he has sought to spread his “One City” message.
With D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee out of the picture, Gray no longer has to worry about appeasing voters’ concerns about Rhee’s future. Education reform remains a key issue in his standard stump speech, but it no longer gets the likely next mayor’s shouting treatment.
That role has gone to statehood and the reason is pretty simple: Statehood is one issue the entire city can get behind. Its unifying power has been on display at the town hall meetings Gray has held across the city.
Cue the cheers when the council chairman tells the crowd he’s willing to “get locked up” for pushing hard for the District’s independence. The crowd is on its feet when he demands statehood rights now in a series of statements made difficult to understand through the crowd noise and the excitment in Gray’s voice.
What Gray envisions is the city actually coming together for statehood at the grassroots level. In the stump speech, he notes he’s tired of seeing the crowds of less than 100 rallying for the District’s statehood rights.
“It’s time for us to fight for ourselves,” he told Ward 8 residents. “We have to have the tenacity to urge for the right and I promise I’ll be right there with you.”
