- Crime and law enforcement are likely to be major focuses of the June 4 Democratic primary in heavily Democratic Washington, D.C., following a spike in crime last year.
- While murders and carjackings are down in 2024, last year’s crime spree will continue to have an impact on politics this year, with the left and center wings of the Democratic Party facing off in several elections.
- Five of the 13 D.C. Council seats are up for election, with the most competitive race seeing 10 candidates running to replace retiring Ward 7 Councilman Vincent Gray.
Tuesday’s Democratic primary in overwhelmingly Democratic Washington will focus primarily on crime, policing and law enforcement, key issues in a city that has seen a surge in violent crime in the past year.
While the number of homicides and carjackings has declined so far in 2024, the political dynamics and tensions caused by last year’s crime spree are set to continue this year, pitting the left and center wings of the Democratic Party against each other in several elections.
Five of the 13 seats are on the ballot, with the most competitive race being to replace retiring Ward 7 City Councilman Vincent Gray. Gray, a former Washington mayor, served on the city council for 13 years over two terms. Ten candidates are vying to replace him: Wendell Felder, Nate Fleming, Evon Allen, Kelvin Brown, Roscoe Grant, Eboni Rose Thompson, Villarreal “VJ” Johnson, Ebony Payne, Veda Rasheed and Dennis Reed.
DC police officer shot and killed while commuting; 2 suspects in custody in Maryland
Gray has endorsed Felder, a longtime local politician and city government official, but no clear front-runner has yet emerged.
Gray, who was D.C. Council speaker at the time, was elected mayor in 2011, but served just one term before losing to current Mayor Muriel Bowser in the Democratic primary in 2015. After his loss, Gray returned to his old Ward 7 council seat in 2016, representing one of the capital’s poorest and blackest neighborhoods, which is rapidly gentrifying.
Mr Gray, 81, has struggled with declining health for years and has fended off private speculation that he was no longer physically able to carry out his council duties. His office announced last month that he had suffered a second stroke.
A sign for an early voting site stands at Stead Park Recreation Center in Northwest Washington, DC, on May 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Robert Yun)
In cities where Democrats dominate politics, primaries are considered de facto elections, but candidates who lose in primaries often reclassify as independents to run again in November’s general election.
In other races, 4th Ward Councilman Janes Lewis George, a pillar of the council’s left wing, is seeking a second term against two challengers, Lisa Gore and Paul Johnson, both of whom have criticized George’s policies as soft on crime.
Two of Mayor Bowser’s most recent challengers, Ward 7 Councilman Treyon White and Ward-at-large Councilman Robert White (no relation), are expected to retain their seats. Challenging Treyon White are Rahman Branch, a former high school principal, and Salim Adofo, president of D.C.’s local-level Advisory Neighborhoods Board. Challenging Robert White is Rodney “Red” Grant, a comedian and community activist who has frequently run for office in multiple elections.
Ward 2 Councilwoman Brooke Pinto is running unopposed.
Two Washington City Council members whose seats are uncontested this year, Charles Allen in the 6th District and Brianne Nadeau in the 1st District, are facing recall efforts aimed at gathering enough signatures to force a special election. For both, their main criticisms of the council members have focused on criminal justice policy.
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Bowser, a former city council member currently serving his third term as mayor, has not publicly been involved in city council races or endorsed any candidates, with one notable exception being his open support for the failed attempt to oust then-Councillor Elissa Silverman in 2018.
Bowser has frequently sparred with the D.C. Council over public safety issues, blaming overly progressive policies for contributing to a spike in violent crime rates in 2023 and damaging police morale.
These differences came to a head last year when Rep. Bowser vetoed major changes to the criminal code, opposing lowering the maximum sentence guidelines for some crimes. The Council quickly overrode her veto, but the new criminal code was later overturned by the U.S. Congress. Several Democrats argued that Rep. Bowser’s opposition was evidence that the Council had deviated from mainstream Democratic policy.
