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D.C. Council members Carol Schwartz and Jack Evans are facing strong opposition as they work to retain their seats. Both incumbents have good track records on gay issues, as do their opponents. (Blade file photo by Henry Linser)
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HOME > NEWS > LOCAL
By: LOU CHIBBARO JR COMMENTS
 
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right to vote on the House floor.
Campaign filing reports show that Strauss has raised far more money than Pannell for his campaign, with Strauss campaign posters appearing throughout the city. Pannell had yet to distribute campaign signs in most parts of the city as of late this week.
The city’s two shadow senators and one shadow representative have no congressional powers and don’t receive a salary. Their sole function is to advocate for statehood or voting representation in Congress for the District of Columbia.
Norton is running unopposed in the Democratic primary next week and has received strong support from gay groups, including an endorsement from the Stein Club.
In other Council races, all of the other incumbents are considered strong favorites to win the primary and the general election in November. All have expressed support for gay and transgender rights. They include Kwame Brown (D-At-Large), who is running unopposed in the primary; Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4); Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7); and Marion Barry (D-Ward 8).
Several gay Democratic activists, including Pannell, are also running for seats on the city’s Democratic State Committee, the governing body of the city’s Democratic Party.
Pannell and Jeffrey Richardson, one of the city’s openly gay delegates to the Democratic National Convention last week, organized a slate of candidates who are challenging a smaller slate put together by State Committee Chair Anita Bonds. Some observers have said Richardson could replace Bonds if enough members of the Pannell slate, called Obama4UnityBeats-McCain, win election to the committee, making Richardson the city’s first Democratic Party chair.
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