
The final campaign finance reports before the election were turned in last night. There were some surprises. While Biddle raised the most money in the period, he also spent a lot and has relatively little cash on hand. Weaver, on the other hand, follows only Orange in cash on hand. While I am a Weaver partisan, I think many would agree that he has gained a certain amount of momentum lately. Orange has enough money to have every potential supporter driven to the polls in a fully loaded Navigator.
All that matters now is who goes to the polls. This can be argued several ways. Will Orange's money make the difference? Biddle's establishment support? Weaver's true believers? Lopez's grassroots shoe leather? Or, will the Republican Party come out for Mara? The most obvious suggestion is the one that has been made several times: Biddle, Weaver, Lopez, and Mara will split the "anybody but Orange" vote and Orange will have a pretty easy time of it. But, who knows? Stranger things have happened. I haven't looked at the Ward 8 SBOE race in much detail. But, there are some interesting candidates running. Since I am a Ward 4 voter, I need to choose a SBOE candidate. I've decided to support Acqunetta Anderson! Just kidding. This sick white boy has never been too impressed with her. Anderson aside, there are a number of good candidates in this race. D. Kamili Anderson has shown leadership in the community and is supported by Muriel Bowser. But, based on Anderson's responses in the Current voting guide, she is not my cup of tea as far as education policy is concerned. Andrew Moss seems like a good candidate and I wouldn't be sorry to see him win. He has posted here which I consider a point in his favor. Similarly, Bill Quirk is a credible candidate who I think would do an adequate job. But, the candidate whose Current responses most closely matched my own positions is An Almquist. An looked good on paper and she made a good appearance when I saw her at the Ward 4 candidates forum. However, I then had the chance to sit down with An for an in-depth discussion of her positions. I came away from that meeting impressed that she has the experience, knowledge, understanding, and passion to be an outstanding member of the SBOE. So, she has earned my vote. Early voting is already open at the BOEE office. The election is one week from today. Whomever you support, please vote. |
The Georgetown Dish: Bryan Weaver for City Council (At-Large)
http://www.thegeorgetowndish.com/thedish/bryan-weaver-city-council-large The Washington Post: Mr. Orange’s hypocrisy on education reform and The Post http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/mr-oranges-hypocrisy-on-education-reform-and-the-post/2011/04/19/AF2AeA8D_story.html If you want honesty and accountability in government, vote Weaver. If you want a typical politician (and a recycled one at that), vote Orange. |
Bryan Weaver has been endorsed by the Washington City Paper:
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/40730/vote-bryan-weaver/ "But Weaver would bring a perspective the council seems to be missing now: someone who understands both the flood of young, mostly white, professional types the last census counted, and someone who also thinks about how the fallout from the trends that brought them here can leave longtime residents struggling. That’s the intersection where the District government—and all of us who live here—will find most conflicts come from over the next few years. That’s where the city needs a reasonable voice that can translate one side’s hopes and fears to the other." |
Okay, sounds like I have to respond to some of these claims. This is Bill Quirk and while I consider campaigning on blogs inappropriate, I just need to clarify a couple things that have been said in this thread about me and my campaign. |
Bill, campaigning in this thread is entirely appropriate. Welcome to the fray. |
I don’t follow this blog because I’m not yet a father, but next month my wife and I are expecting our first child, a baby boy! So, I’ll be a father and a follower of DC Urban Moms and Dads.
- Bill Quirk www.Quirk2011.com |
To Jeff Steele who stated at 04/19/2011 15:54, “Bill Quirk is a credible candidate who I think would do an adequate job”, thank you Jeff, for your consideration of my candidacy and kind words. If you or any of your readers would like to learn more about my campaign, I am featured today on The Brightwoodian @ http://thebrightwoodian.blogspot.com/2011/04/meet-ward-4-state-board-of-education_22.html I am the second ad to the right on the The Prince of Petworth http://www.princeofpetworth.com and have a website which you can visit at www.Quirk2011.com
Finally, should anyone wish to contact me directly, every month at our Advisory Neighborhood Commission meetings, I give my cell phone number out to anyone in attendance so that I can be reached at any time on any issues of importance to our community. Here it is for your readers, any of whom I’d be happy to meet, 202-487-1021. Thanks again Jeff, Bill - Bill Quirk www.Quirk2011.com |
http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post/10166/vote-bryan-weaver-for-dc-council-at-large/
Just read the GGW endorsement of Weaver, and all should read the good comments posted there. I'm still in love with Weaver, but feeling for Biddle, because I still think he has the best chance against Orange, when you also have a strong Lopez following eating away at valuable votes. That being said, should Biddle, Weaver, Lopez and Brown lose to Orange, I would be sad globally but hopeful locally - because it opens up a realm of possibilities that has me blissfully anticipating 2012. In only one year you will have FOUR very strong candidates running in three local Ward Council elections. I'm sure there are many others relishing the possibilities. Ward-1, Weaver and Mara challenge Graham Ward-4, Biddle and/or Lopez challenges Bowser, who has been disappointing constituents and burning bridges left and right. When it comes down to brass tax, she won't have a job in 2013. Ward-7, Tom Brown, who has created a slew of loyalists in this election, challenges a complacently ineffective Alexander. Those that are probably safe: Barry, Brown, Catania, Cheh, and Thomas. |
I hate to nitpick, but here I go: Graham is not up in 2012, nor Cheh, Thomas, or Wells. BTW, Bryan Weaver came in third in the 2010 primary, barely behind Jeff Smith. Graham had almost three times as many votes as either of them. Bowser is a strong backer of Biddle; I doubt he would be so ungracious as to challenge her. Similarly Lopez, given how close they both are to Fenty. But Orange will be up (as well as Catania), so they might take a second swipe at VO in the primary, or go the Michael Brown independent Democrat route. I was very favorably impressed by Tom Brown until I saw where he stands on social issues: http://www.ultrateenchoice.org/special_election.html. Favoring a referendum on same sex marriage is a deal-breaker for me. |
Since we are nitpicking, doesn't Orange have to be elected first? Also, while Weaver finished behind Jeff Smith in the W1 race, it was only by 4 votes. On the issue of Bowser, it is not my impression that she has much opposition in the ward. To the contrary, my experience is that she is very popular. My main issue with her is that she was beholden to Fenty. Since he is out of politics, that doesn't matter any more. At the moment, I am predisposed to support her. |
Mea culpa! The Orange assumption was pure carelessness. Expecting the worst rather than wish fulfillment, for whatever that's worth. As to the 4 votes, I think my son was one of them. I hope Weaver and Smith can manage not to split the vote next time; in a one-on-one, maybe one of them would stand a chance. I know of some prospective opponents for Muriel, and I think you're right that she has no reason to start sweating. |
I think there are two or possibly four strong contenders coming for Bowser as she is becoming increasingly unpopular in Ward 4. So I would not make any guarantees about her holding her seat in the next election, and I would not be surprised if Biddle (who has more appeal with Ward 4 voters than Bowser) or Lopez (who has the support of Fenty loyalists and the growing Latino population in Ward 4) ran against her in 2012. Politics in DC is a strange bedfellow, as we have seen with the 2010 Mayoral Election. |
In a short while I will head out to vote. I like several people on the at large ballot and also on the Ward 4 SBOE, and am leaning toward BW and DKA, but if you have any last minute wisdom or new info, write fast and maybe you'll change my mind. Or not. |
If you are basing your decision on the Post editorial for DKA, I think it did a great disservice to its readers when it stated she has "firsthand experience." She has neither taught in a school nor been educated in early childhood education. If writing about education and having children that attended DCPS is enough for you, have at it. |
Andrew: Congratulations on the terrific showing. Too bad you came up a bit short. But, you gave it a heck of a run. I'll be honest and say that I had no idea that you would be so strong in this election. I'll be watching for you in the future and won't be taken by surprise next time. |