Politics
Muriel Bowser defeats incumbent Vincent Gray in Washington D.C. mayoral primary
A jubilant Murial Bowser addresses her supporters following her victory over incumbent Washington D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray. PHOTO/Cliff Owen/AP
Muriel Bowser won the District of Columbia’s Democratic mayoral primary Tuesday, defeating incumbent Vincent Gray in a race defined by a scandal involving Gray’s campaign 4 years ago.
Bowser tapped into an electorate that tired of the allegations surrounding Gray. Five people who worked on the mayor’s 2010 campaign have pleaded guilty to felonies, and Bowser said the city needed to move away from a mayor who faces potential criminal charges.
“The status quo is not good enough for us,” Bowser told supporters early Wednesday. “We know that we can do better and we know we need a fresh start.”
Bowser, 41, is a D.C. council member and a protege of former Mayor Adrian Fenty, whom Gray defeated in 2010. With votes still being counted early Wednesday, Bowser had 44 percent of the vote to Gray’s 32 percent.
The Democratic primary winner has gone on to win every general election since the district began electing a mayor 40 years ago. But Bowser who may become the first African American woman to become mayor of Washington D.C., still has to will face a credible challenger this November in David Catania, an independent council member.
Gray defeated Fenty in 2010 by tapping into dissatisfaction among African American residents. But a series of guilty pleas in federal court have revealed that top campaign aides broke the law to help him get elected. Three weeks ago, prosecutors said Gray knew about an illegal, US$668,000 slush fund that aided his get-out-the-vote efforts 4 years ago.
Gray has not been charged and insists he did nothing wrong. His attorney has said he is preparing for a possible indictment.
