Ward 6 Councilman Tommy Wells is considering a run for D.C. mayor in 2014.
Wells, who is serving his second term as a city lawmaker, told the Washington Post on Friday that he is putting plans in place to launch his first bid for citywide office.
“I’m clearly talking and meeting with people to talk about running,” Wells told the Post.
Wells said, though, that he remains supportive of Mayor Vincent Gray, who has not said whether he will seek another term in the mayoral suite. Gray’s 18-month tenure has been dogged by allegations of impropriety, and two campaign aides have pleaded guilty to federal charges. Gray has denied wrongdoing, but a lengthy probe into his campaign is continuing.
If Wells ultimately decides to run, he’d be launching an attempt to become the District’s first white mayor. SClBSClBBut he might not be the only current legislator to seek the city’s top job. Three other sitting lawmakers have run for the post before — Michael Brown, Jack Evans and Vincent Orange — haven’t ruled out second efforts. Political observers have also speculated that Ward 4 Councilwoman Muriel Bowser might launch a mayoral campaign.
Wells, a 55-year-old Alabama native, leads the council committee that oversees parks and recreation. He has also become one of the city’s most prolific advocates for “smart growth” and has emerged as one of the chief proponents of a ballot initiative that’d ban corporate contributions to political campaigns in the District.
