Mayor Adrian Fenty will face at least two challengers in September’s primary — D.C. Council Chairman Vince Gray and millionaire developer Don Peebles, the Washington Examiner has learned. Gray will file papers for election on Tuesday, sources said. Recent polls have shown Gray narrowly beating Fenty for re-election, especially in black Washington. Peebles told the Washington Examiner on Monday that he, too, will file as a candidate within two weeks unless something dramatic occurs. “I very much want to be mayor of Washington, D.C. It’s been very kind to me and my family,” he said.
Peebles said that Gray, a former city agency head, has been “a dedicated public servant” but he represents “a walk down memory lane.”
Gray didn’t respond to requests for comment. His spokeswoman, Doxie McCoy, declined comment.
Speculation had been that Gray would rely on Peebles’ enormous fortune to help him finance his campaign. Fenty has amassed nearly $4 million in campaign donations and is still popular with much of white Washington.
Fenty spokeswomen couldn’t be reached for immediate comment. But, shortly after initial news reports hit the Internet about Gray’s challenge, Fenty hastily called a meeting of his top advisers, a city hall source said.
When he ran for mayor in 2006 as a one-term councilman, Fenty won every precinct in the city. He instantly became a national political celebrity for his promises to clean up a long-moribund city hall.
But his reputation has collapsed east of the Anacostia River and began slipping even in the wealthy white neighborhoods that he covets. He’s been accused of being imperious — installing a heater in a nearby pool to make his daily workouts easier, for instance, and lavishing contracts on old fraternity buddies –even as the city fell into recession. More than one out of every 10 District residents is unemployed.
September’s primary has now become a referendum on Fenty. Not only is he facing his own challenge from Gray, Peebles and former television personality Leo Alexander, but his former protege, Clark Ray, is running for an at-large council seat against incumbent Phil Mendelson, one of the Fenty regime’s earliest public critics. With Gray expected to vacate his seat, councilmen Jack Evans, D-Ward 2, a reliable Fenty ally, is expected to challenge for the open council chairmanship.
He’ll likely face Kwame Brown, D-at large, who has become increasingly critical of the mayor.
