DC mayor Adrian Fenty has won as a write-in candidate for for the Republican Party. That’s the good news. The bad news is Fenty is a Democrat and just lost the primary to rival council Chair Vince Gray. Fenty has until 4:45 this afternoon to accept the Republican nomination.
With all the criticism of party switchers, it makes one ponder what Fenty is going to do. He has brought in some terrific people. Michelle Rhee has turned DC schools around. There’s a long way to go, but she accomplished the turn around. Police chief Cathy Lanier has been a winner also. Under her leadership, the DC Police Department has acquired a more professional image and Lanier is always a visible presence. Will Rhee and Lanier be fired under Gray? Or will they leave voluntarily? Both of these women are 2 really good things that have happened to DC.
Many of us hope Fenty will stay on. Whose cares what label he uses. But can a Republican be elected in Democratic DC?
Well, if Olympia Snows, Susan Collins, and Lindsey Graham are Republicans…. why not Adrian Fenty?
It’s interesting to armchair if he’d make the switch but in the end I think he knows it won’t work and he’ll get slaughtered. DC will return to the dungpile it’s been for countless numbers of decades.
But, Rhee had it right. The losers weren’t Rhee or Fenty but the children in public schools.
Why not just return DC back to the oversight of Congress? I mean, they do such a good job on everything else….just ask ’em.
As to the voting rights, let the citizens living there vote for the MD representatives.
Or, since taxation without representation is their byword, enact that all residents pay no federal taxes. Residents must have resided in the District for at least 10 years before taxation is canceled.
Marin, you are right about who the real losers are. What we discussed as come to pass and I am very sorry.
Fenty has declined to run as a Republican. Does that rule out running as an Independent?
Has there ever been a Republican mayor of DC?
Fenty could not change parties. He still has a bright future and needs to stay true to his roots. I lived in DC in the 80’s and hope to move back some day. It is sad that DC could move backward to those ugly times. Educated children are the best solution and I hope Rhee continues on although I doubt it.
I feel that Rhee made a big mistake by endorsing Fenty. That has made it just about impossible for her to stay in her job. Imagine trying to work with Gray after that! It’s too bad, because I believe she is what the DC school sysstem needs in a bad way.
Punchak, what Rhee and Gray want are polar opposites. Rhee wants a school system built around educating students. Gray wants a system that provides the best for the adult teachers.
Rhee will leave and be picked up very quickly by another system. The students of DC will however continue to read below the 8th grade level.
And had the school system not had to rebuild from the ground up, it might even be possible to have whats best for kids and for teachers. But that school system has too many problems to even be close now.
Losing Rhee will be DC’s loss, not Rhee’s.
MH, in every economy we need people to pump my gas and flip my hamburgers. Looks like we have a training program for that — DC Public Schools!!! 🙂
You and I agree on DC schools for sure, marin. What a shame for kids.
With a drop out rate of 20-25% there should be no shortage of flippers….wait! That is the drop out rate in this area. What are they thinking?