Brandon Todd (Courtesy Photo)
Allies of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser came away with the most votes in the recent D.C. Council special elections, but one has to endure a process of counting each vote to make sure she won her race.
Brandon Todd, a resident of Ward 4 easily won the special election on April 28 in his ward but LaRuby May, who lives in Ward 8, is in a close fight with former Ward 8 D.C. State Board of Education member Trayon White for the right to represent the ward.
D.C. elections officials didn’t call the race in Ward 8 because of the closeness between May and White. They will do so after absentee ballots are counted.
Todd defeated a field of 11 candidates, amassing 42 percent of the vote while union lawyer Renee Bowser came in a distant second with 21.57 percent. May led White, 26.94 percent to 24.55 percent, in their race.
May said she is clear as to why she got into the race for D.C. Council.
“To me, this race was never about politics,” May said to supporters at the Old Congress Heights School. “This race is about the people of Ward 8.”
May seeks to take the place of the late D.C. Council member Marion S. Barry while Todd will serve out the rest of the term of his mentor, Bowser.
In the Ward 4 race, Todd amassed significant amounts of money and support and it seemed he never was challenged seriously. Todd had the support of former D.C. Council Chairman Linda Cropp and D.C. Council member Charlene Drew Jarvis as well as a host of civic, political and business organizations.
Todd attributed his victory to the hard work of his team.
“I look forward to continuing the legacy of progress I’ve been a part of in Ward 4 over the last seven years,” Todd told supporters at the VIP club.
Todd has worked for Bowser in her campaigns, council office and on committees that she chaired. May has done extensive community work in Ward 8, especially with the elderly and low-income residents.
May had strong advantages in organization and money but had to deal with a possible sympathy vote for Marion C. Barry, the son of Marion S. Barry and an anti-Bowser movement during the election. Nevertheless, she had the support of former D.C. Council Chairman Arrington Dixon and former D.C. Council members Sandy Allen and Eydie Whittington.
There is talk that Marion S. Barry wanted his son to take the council position. However, an acrimonious encounter with a bank teller that has criminal implications earlier this year raised concerns among Ward 8 residents that the younger Barry was not ready to assume the role of a council member.
Barry got only seven percent of the vote.
Sheila Bunn, who has worked on the staffs of D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) and D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray, ran a spirited campaign based on issues and her experience but she came in third with 10.63 percent of the vote. Despite losing, Bunn called for Ward 8 to come together.
“While the D.C. Board of Elections has not officially called the winner of the Ward 8 race, I want to congratulate both LaRuby May and Trayon White for their showing at this point,” Bunn said. “At the end of the day, they and all of the candidates on the ballot share the goal of making the great Ward 8 even greater.”
The final result of the Ward 8 race may not be known for several days, as the absentee ballots must be counted and the losing candidate may request a recount.
