Who should progressive voters back in the Ward 1 D.C. Council race? It depends on who you ask, with both challenger Brianne Nadeau and incumbent Jim Graham receiving endorsements from progressive groups today.

First up, Howard Dean-founded group Democracy for America backed Nadeau in an email to members this afternoon. “I couldn’t be more excited to have a young, progressive woman like Brianne standing up to corruption in the Wilson Building for me,” Democracy for America communications director Neil Sroka writes in the email sent out this afternoon.

Democracy for America also backed former Tommy Wells chief of staff Charles Allen in Ward 6 and Shadow Rep. Nate Bennett-Fleming in the at-large race against incumbent Anita Bonds.

But hold up, Ward 1 lefties! D.C. Working Families, the coalition of labor groups that’s backing a minimum wage hike referendum for the general election ballot in November, endorsed Graham in the race against  this afternoon. D.C. Working Families director Delvone Michael tells LL that his group picked Graham over Nadeau for several reasons, including his push for driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants and support for gay rights.

D.C. Working Families is also endorsing Ward 5 councilmember Kenyan McDuffie and Council chairman Phil Mendelson, both of whom are facing easy primary wins. But don’t expect Michael’s group to make an endorsement in the mayoral race—-they’re sitting that one out.

“We just didn’t see anyone who we thought was a true progressive,” Michael says.

Photo by Darrow Montgomery