The District government’s seniors’ festival Thursday could not have been more tailor-made for campaigning, nor could it have been more timely, with the D.C. primary a mere four days away.
Hundreds of seniors crowded into Freedom Plaza along Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest for Elderfest, sponsored by the District’s Office on Aging, and were swarmed by candidates for citywide offices — those for mayor, D.C. Council chair and the at-large council seat.
“You have to be here,” said Ward 3 Council Member Kathy Patterson, who’s in a tight race with Ward 7 Council Member Vincent Gray for the chairmanship. “With age comes the wisdom that it really matters.”
Mayoral front-runner Adrian Fenty, the Ward 4 D.C. Council member, was there early, meeting participants as they arrived. D.C. Council Chair Linda Cropp followed closely behind, as did former Verizon executive Marie Johns.
With her many years of legislative experience, Cropp was long thought to have an edge among seniors. But Fenty’s lead in the polls, in addition to the endorsement of Ward 8 Council Member Marion Barry, might have tightened the race for the older demographic.
The candidates were told they could not ask for votes from the stage, but they were not so subtle with their messages.
“I’m not going to tell you who to vote for, but you know who brought you,” Cropp told the audience.
Barry is still a star among older Southeast residents. He urged the crowd to “vote, vote, vote,” but not before announcing into the microphone that he had been told toremove the “Fenty” stickers from his shirt.
“I’m glad to be called an elder at Elderfest,” Barry said. “I’m 70 years of age, and I look good, too.”
Seniors said the issues most important to them are affordable housing, health care and transportation. The candidates, audience members said, were certainly willing to promise improvements.
“I think they understand what we need, but they just forget the seniors sometimes,” said 76-year-old Louise Conway, a Southeast resident.
