There he was, collecting signatures on qualifying petitions, picking up endorsements, comfortable in his aloneness. D.C. Councilman Tommy Wells was certain, as the lone Democratic candidate in the Ward 6 race, he was on the easy road to re-election — he wouldn’t even have to break a sweat.
Then, without warning, Kelvin Robinson arrived, underscoring the age-old message that there are no free rides. Now, Wells will have to fight if he wants a second term.
Robinson initially was a candidate for the at-large seat on the council. He was expected to bring the blues to incumbent Phil Mendelson. But the day Robinson was to participate in WPFW-FM radio’s on-air candidates forum, he did a Gilda Radner: never mind.
Instead, the former chief of staff to Mayor Anthony A. Williams and current advisory neighborhood commissioner turned his sights on Wells. Robinson said he was persuaded to abandon his earlier effort after some Ward 6 residents sent Wells a letter registering their dissatisfaction with him and declaring Robinson was their guy.
“Folks feel a sense of relief that they now have an option,” Robinson told me, citing residents’ concerns about crime, economic development and his opponent’s failure to respond to the needs of residents. “In some parts of the ward, people are not thriving as they should be.”
Ward 6 is an eclectic mix of neighborhoods that include Capital Hill, Chinatown, Southwest Waterfront, Barney Circle and Near Northeast. It is populated by rich, well-known politicos and lobbyists, average citizens, and the homeless — many of whom live in the shuttered D.C. General Hospital.
“Anyone who runs against an incumbent has to say he’s out of touch with his constituents,” Wells countered, touting his work with police to address a rash of carjackings, his success in helping lead an unprecedented rennaisance in public schools; and his establishment of regular community-based office hours. “I feel confident that I have a presence in every section of the ward.”
But residents I spoke with had mixed reactions to both candidates. One person had never heard of either — although Wells has been in office for three years. Ronald Drake, citing his encounter with the incumbent over an issue involving representation of special education students, called Wells a “wimp and a wannabe” and accused Wells of seeing himself as “part of the establishment and the bureaucracy,” not as a representative of the people and their needs. Adam Clampitt, who knows both candidates, disagreed. He said Wells has been “great on the issues” and “very responsive to citizens.”
Truth be told, none of this may matter. Residents and media have focused mostly on the mayoral race — although there also are competitive and interesting contests in Wards 1, 5 and, yes, 6.
“This is a really hard environment for anyone running down ticket,” Wells said.
That makes it tough for Wells but even tougher for Robinson, who, like other challengers in the council races, is unlikely likely to receive much attention. And that suits Wells just find. It may not be a free ride — but it’s close.
Jonetta Rose Barras’s column appears on Monday and Wednesday. She can be contacted at [email protected]
