LL Video: Inside Mara HQ
LL shot some video Tuesday night, first at Patrick Mara's campaign HQ, then at Carol Schwartz central, before heading down to the Board of Elections and Ethics for the late-night voting fiasco.
Let's begin with the Mara video, shot early in the evening before results came in. By 8:15 p.m., several dozen had gathered at Mara HQ at 6th and K Streets NW, including D.C. Chamber of Commerce head Barbara Lang and several of her colleagues, restaurant lawyer Andrew J. Kline, consultant and Board of Trade-r David Julyan, and Ward 8 Republican rabble-rouser Cardell Shelton. Upstairs, guests dined on crabcakes and other noshes from Clyde's, while waiting for their candidate to emerge from his private quarters below.
Also of note: Incumbent Carol Schwartz has deemed Mara's candidacy a conspiracy hatched by fellow at-large councilmember David A. Catania, a former Republican and longtime Schwartz-hater. The scene on Tuesday night did nothing to knock down those rumors: No fewer than five Catania staffers were present and wearing Mara T-shirts.
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12:35 pm
I guess that sets up Carol to gun after Catania in two years.
2:04 pm
She won't win!!!!!!!!!!!
9:38 am
Um, hey what? I think Reid meant she'd be throwing her support behind someone to run against him. Duh.
10:21 am
Actually I was speculating whether she wouldn't make a run on the Republican ticket against him. I'm not sure why that's such a ridiculous proposition.
It would be a pretty interesting election really. Two politicians popular despite their current or past affiliations. I do suspect that Catania would win, but I'm not sure he would "win!!!!!!!!!"
10:32 am
Reid, Catania hasn't been a Republican since 2004. He's an independent, so he doesn't have a primary. I could see Schwartz running against him in the general, which would likely also feature at least one Democrat running as an independent, so who knows at this stage how the votes would split.
12:04 pm
"Catania hasn’t been a Republican since 2004...I could see Schwartz running against him in the general, which would likely also feature at least one Democrat running as an independent"
That's exactly what I was talking about. That's why I said she'd "run on the Republican ticket" and spoke about "past affiliations". Whether Schwartz would even win the Republican primary would be a completely different question. Would the business types hire another stooge to run against her? (In fairness to Mara, I should say that he only has all the appearances of being a stooge; if he's lucky enough to win, perhaps he'll not be a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Board of Trade and Federal City Council. Only time will tell)
Even with some Democrats-in-Independent's-clothing running I think Catania has developed enough of a solid record to squeak out a win (particularly in a three or four way race), but probably not a multi-exclamation-pointed win.
12:26 pm
Okay, I'd agree with that, Reid, though of course lots could happen in the next two years that might affect Catania's popularity.
2:18 pm
Of course, KC, the interesting thing will be whether those Democrats-in-Independents-clothing can actually win without the benefit of a (D) next to their names on the ballot. DeBonis complains about welfare to the Republicans, but how well would Democrats do if they didn't get to identify themselves on the ballot with a national party that 70% of the population is a member of?
2:50 pm
Since 2010 is not a presidential election year, I imagine most people showing up at the polls for the general election will know something about the at-large council candidates and won't be voting on the basis of the ballot alone. Bill Lightfoot managed to get elected as a Democrat turned independent. And I doubt that in DC lacking a "(D)" is as hazardous to one's electoral health as having an "(R)". For the more obscure offices, I'm sure the "(D)" helps.
But considering Catania's support for Hillary Clinton and Jeanne Shaheen, maybe he'll be the Democrat posing as an independent by then.
2:39 am
whoever she tries to run against David, they won't win either, losers follow losers!!!!!!!!!!!