It's That Time
And remembering two former opponents who became friends and great allies
A neighbor down the street stopped me last week as I was walking to the Metro. He said he was excited I’m running again for D.C. Council, and he thought he read the news in PoPville, formerly known as the Prince of Petworth blog.
One place he was sure he hadn’t read it: in the Washington Post Metro section.
The dismantlement of the Washington Post as a local newspaper of record will have major impacts, especially when it comes to local governance. Research has shown that corruption increases in communities where original news reporting has declined. Voters can’t rely on experienced journalists to cover local elections anymore. That means it’s going to take more effort—and money—for candidates like me to reach voters and help them understand where I stand on the issues.
I’ll be candid: I need your contribution right now to win this election. The March 10 campaign finance deadline is coming up quickly, and I want to have another strong report.
Soon our campaign will turn in the required signatures on nominating petition sheets to qualify for the ballot. Then we will begin the heart of the campaign: knocking on doors, handing out literature, putting signs in yards, and creating effective digital ads and social media to persuade voters to cast their ballot for me in the June 16 at-large Special Election. My new campaign website will debut this week. This all costs a lot of money.
I proudly voted for D.C.’s Fair Elections public finance system because it allows people like you and me—who are not wealthy, who don’t have a Rolodex of C-Suite donors—to be able to compete with the big money, special interests candidates. Your contribution will be matched 5-to-1, turning a $25 contribution into $150 and the maximum $100 donation into $600.
Many of you have asked me when yard signs, t-shirts, and other campaign swag will be available. I want you to have them pronto—but I also want to make sure we have the money to pay for them. You can help make that happen by donating now.
I also want to take a moment to celebrate two former opponents who turned into great allies and friends. This past Sunday I attended the memorial service for Rev. Graylan Scott Hagler, who was one of my opponents in the 2014 race for the at-large seat but we shared much in common. He was truly a giant in social justice—he was focused on building affordable housing starting decades ago, worked with Councilmember Mary Cheh to ban payday lending in D.C., and was a fixture at picket lines for workers fighting corporate power.
Our last significant time together was when he invited me to lunch to persuade me to run again. But the last time I saw him was at the memorial service for David Schwartzman. David was also a champion of workers and D.C. statehood—he was a forceful advocate for progressive taxation as well as an early voice warning about climate change. David was on the ballot with me in 2014, 2018, and by 2022, I think David at debates and forums was a better advocate for me than I was for myself.
I will miss both of them, and I will do my best to carry their voices forward in this election.
Thanks, as always, for reading.
Elissa.