“Not a politician but a public servant.” That’s how Jacque Patterson describes himself. A Democrat, he hopes to win the party’s nomination on April 3 for the Ward 8 D.C. Council seat.

His self-assessment has a subtle potency: It recasts as odious incumbent Marion Barry’s perceived strength as a seasoned politician. It also advances the prevailing opinion that too many elected officials are driven by personal interests — not residents’ needs.

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