Vince Gray doesn’t think there’s a racial divide among Washington voters, even though blacks overwhelmingly supported him and whites did the same with Mayor Adrian Fenty in the Democratic primary.
“I think you have to go beyond the issue of race and look at those who felt like they were well-served in this current administration and those who felt that they weren’t,” Gray told WAMU radio host Kojo Nnamdi on Friday afternoon.
Gray did add that now that he’s the Democratic mayoral nominee, he has a job of reaching out to white voters. The D.C. Council chairman said he has committed to holding eight town hall meetings before the general election on Nov. 2 and has already gained support from council members for the events.
He’d like to have Mayor Fenty attend them, too. “I would love to have him join me in helping to bring the city together,” Gray said. The two attended a Democratic unity breakfast together on Wednesday after the primary.
Getting President Obama’s support also is important to Gray, who said he has been in contact with Obama’s staff but “that’s not a substitute for the president of the United States.”
He said he wants to compile an agenda of key D.C. issues for Obama to back beginning with education reform, which he called “the top issue,” and unemployment.
