Women should fill the DC Council Vacancies!

When the new DC Council takes its place at the beginning of 2007 Linda Cropp, Kathy Patterson and Sharon Ambrose, three of the legislature’s most experienced members will be gone! Cropp and Patterson tried to move up to higher office, but were soundly defeated. Ambrose is stepping down for health reasons. She’ll certainly be replaced by a male, Tommy Wells who won the Ward Six Democratic primary. Patterson will be replaced by newcomer

(D)Mary Cheh in Ward Three. That leaves only two women on the thirteen member DC Council.

Cheh and Republican Carol Schwartz, the only experienced female legislator. This should not stand! Special elections will be held to fill the seats of Adrian Fenty who should win the November election for Mayor; and Vincent Gray who should become Council Chairman. I know of people who are positioning themselves to make a run for the Ward Four and Ward Seven slots; but it seems to me that the Democrats should select their candidates from among a number of qualified females waiting in the wings. The names should be clear. Everybody knows who has done the heavy political lifting in these parts! It’s not my place to endorse; merely to observe; and from my point of view this is a no brainer. Adrian Fenty seemed to agree when I pointed out this incredible 11 to 2 gender imbalance to him after the primary. Rumor says his brother Sean Fenty, an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner, may be at the top of the next Mayor’s short list of Ward Four candidates. If Adrian moves in that direction it may seem like a family power grab. Pick women in both Wards Four and Seven and it will appear to be what it is….the right thing to do!