Sep 12, 2008  |  By: LOU CHIBBARO JR  | COMMENTS     

spoke out against same-sex marriage in his unsuccessful campaign for mayor in 2006.

‘Stark differences’

Schwartz’s defeat stunned her long-time supporters, many of whom are gay Democrats.
Large numbers of Democratic voters have crossed over to vote for Schwartz in the general elections in the past, helping her retain her Council seat since the early 1990s.

To the disappointment of her Democratic backers, Schwartz declined to switch her party affiliation from Republican to independent, making her vulnerable to the wishes of the city’s small contingent of registered Republican voters in the GOP primary.

Mara attacked Schwartz in a direct mail campaign aimed at GOP voters, charging that Schwartz had abandoned the Republican Party principles of fiscal conservatism. Schwartz disputed those claims, pointing to her longstanding role as a fiscal watchdog on the Council.

During an election night gathering at her campaign headquarters on U Street N.W., Schwartz displayed for reporters a collection of colorful brochures that Mara’s campaign and prominent business groups backing Mara had mailed to Republican voters.

“They’re riddled with inaccuracies and misleading allegations,” Schwartz said. “They spent many thousands of dollars putting this stuff out.”

Mara said his campaign literature noted that Schwartz, in his view, has been at odds with many city voters, especially in her opposition to Mayor Adrian Fenty’s controversial decision to transfer control of the city’s troubled school system from an elected board of education to the mayor’s office.

“Anything that has gone out in the mail has generally talked about the stark differences between myself and Ms. Schwartz on important issues,” Mara told the Blade.

Mara received strong backing from local business groups. The business groups had announced their work to unseat Schwartz was spurred, among other things, by her support for a bill that required private sector employers in the city to provide paid sick leave for their employees. The business groups argued such mandatory leave would harm businesses and discourage new businesses from moving into the city.

While he criticized Schwartz for being too liberal on business regulation and taxes, Mara emerged as a strong supporter of gay rights. He marched in the city’s Gay Pride parade in June and supports same-sex marriage.

Throughout her political career, Schwartz emerged as one of the strongest pro-gay politicians. In her re-election bid this year, GLAA gave her a rating of +9 compared to its rating of +2 for Mara.

Asked at his election night celebration if he would vote for a same-sex marriage bill should it come before the Council, Mara