Money and Endorsements Roll in for At-Large Candidates

As the election nears shows of support in the form of money and endorsements help voters decide for whom they will vote to fill the At-Large seats on the District Council.

There are two at-large seats on the ballot this fall.

Mary Brooks Beatty (Republican, Ward 6)

Though the Georgetown Current praised Beatty for being "a welcome image of integrity amid a period of political distrust" the newspaper passed her over for one of its two endorsements.

Endorsed by the InTowner for her years of experience in government affairs and her local work on the Captiol Hill ANC, which was intimately involved in the H Street, NE renovations. 

"She can bring to our own city council a perspective that is sorely needed to inject new thinking about how to solve problems that so often seem to be beyond comprehension."

In addition to the InTowner, she was endorsed by People and Animals for Washington (PAW) and D.C. Log Cabin Republicans.

Between Aug. 10 and Oct. 10, the most recently filing date, she received $4,290 in donations from 32 individuals for an average of $134 each.

Michael A. Brown (Independent, Ward 4)

When telling readers not to vote for him, the Georgetown Current cited Brown's "reputation for not working as hard" as his colleagues on the Council and his problems paying his own taxes

The InTowner tells its readers, "He must not be returned to the council. ... Suffice it to say that while he continues to be a member of the council his presence there is not only a huge embarrassment to that body but to the District as a whole."

According to a news release from his campaign he has been endorsed by: Washington Teachers Union, Metropolitan Washington Council AFL-CIO, SEIU Local 722, 32BJ SEIU, the Hotel Association of Washington DC, District of Columbia Nurses Association, UNITE HERE! Local 25, the DC Hispanic Contractors Association and Laborers Local 657.

As of Oct. 10, the most recently filing date since Aug. 10, he had received $30,646.65 from 59 individuals and corporations, an average of $519 per donation.

A.J. Cooper is running as an independent. He is a Ward 4 resident.

Between Aug. 10 and Oct. 10, the most recently filing date, he received
$9,742 from 47 donors, an average of $207 per donation.

David Grosso (Independent, Ward 5)

Gross earned endorsement from the Georgetown Current for being the most viable non-Democrat running.

According to a news release from his campaign he has been endorsed by: The Northwest Current; The Sierra Club of D.C.; D.C. National Organization for Women; D.C. for Democracy; Sharon Ambrose; John Hill; William Lightfoot; Laura Myers; Kathy Patterson; and Tommy Wells

The most recent campaign finance report shows Grosso received $67,353 in donations between Aug. 10 and Oct. 10. His average donation amount of was $138.

Vincent Orange (Democrat Ward 5)

In offering its endorsement  to Orange, The Georgetown Current writes "we are at best ambivalent about Mr. Orange 's council tenure" and points to his "electoral advantage" as a Democrat, the District's dominant political party. The Current endorses him writing, "Mr. Orange seems to us the best of the remaining field."

Between Aug. 10 and Oct. 10, the most recently filing date, he received $8,350 from 11 donors, an average of $759 per donation.

Leon J. Swain Jr. is running as an independent. He is a Ward 8 resident.

Between Aug. 10 and Oct. 10, the most recently filing date, he received $20,360 (including $4,000 of his own money). His average donation during that time was $452, including his own donation, or an estimated $372 without.

Ann C. Wilcox is running as a member of the State Green Party. She is a Ward 2 resident.

If she filed a report, it was not available on the Office of Campaign Finance website.