The biggest question in Tuesday’s general election in the District is just how close the Republicans will come to winning in the ward races.
Of course, the Republican candidates say they will win. But even in Ward 3 -—where Republicans have one of their largest constituencies, and where Councilwoman Mary Cheh turned against the overwhelming majority of voters there by backing Vince Gray for mayor in Democratic primary race — the Republicans are likely to still come up short.
The GOP’s strategy in the District’s general election, however, was to show they’re a legitimate threat. Close races would be a victory. The party didn’t run a candidate for mayor, believing that doing so would get the Democratic base out in large numbers. The Democrats have responded with a get-out-the-vote effort.
If the Republicans can keep it close, their biggest gain may come in the March special election to fill the at-large council seat likely to be vacated by Kwame Brown when he ascends to the chairman’s seat. If the Democrats can’t get behind one candidate, the Republicans will have the opportunity to run against a broken field with a candidate made better known by running a close campaign against a Democrat in a ward race in November.
