Putting in my two cents for defecting from Shapiro to Biddle. Shapiro probably doesn't have a chance, and splitting the vote means Orange wins again. So join with me in a rallying cry of: Biddle! He's worth settling on since we don't have Instant Runoff Voting!

by Jai on Apr 2, 2012 5:28 pm • link • report

Jai said exactly what I was going to say. Make it four cents. Vote Biddle, PLEASE for the love of God, people.

by Ward 1 Guy on Apr 2, 2012 5:47 pm • link • report

Ah, the Douglas Adams school of politics arrives on queue! "Vote for my lizard you lowly peons, or the other guy's lizard will win!!!"

http://wso.williams.edu/~rcarson/lizards.html

by John on Apr 2, 2012 5:53 pm • link • report

To a first approximation...yeah. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7tWHJfhiyo

That said, there's a world of difference between Orange and Biddle, and relatively little daylight between Biddle and Shapiro. I'd be happy with Biddle or Shapiro, just so long as its not Orange. And Biddle is the best shot at making that happen.

by Jai on Apr 2, 2012 6:15 pm • link • report

This is hardly a matter of super progressive (Shapiro) vs cookie cutter liberal (Biddle); the real difference is between retro Orange and a progressive alternative. Sure, Shapiro is a good candidate, but Biddle has the DC credentials and the numbers to win. Biddle is the candidate to back if you don't want Orange. I don't know what GGW's calculus was to arrive at Shapiro - but its stupid politics. Biddle can win. Shapiro will only be a spoiler in this race. You want Orange, vote Shapiro.

by Larry Martin on Apr 2, 2012 9:39 pm • link • report

If I haven't changed my DC address on my voter registration yet, can I still vote? I think I can change my address at the polls. If so, do I go to my old precinct or my new one?

by A-lo on Apr 2, 2012 9:49 pm • link • report

No endorsements for MD Senate?

by wmataplusside on Apr 2, 2012 10:19 pm • link • report

Anybody but Orange!

by Ron on Apr 3, 2012 8:29 am • link • report

Does anyone have any suggestion of how those of us who voted early because they wouldn't have time to do so after work tonight can sign for Initiative 70?

by cminus on Apr 3, 2012 9:31 am • link • report

Prediction: Brown, Bowser, and Weaver run for mayor in 2014, GGW supports Weaver, the progressive vote is split and we get 4 (or more!) years of Fully Loaded as mayor.

by Phil on Apr 3, 2012 9:44 am • link • report

Like others, I've decided to support Sekou Biddle today. Shapiro is a good candidate, but I don't want to contribute to splitting the vote against Orange.

by John on Apr 3, 2012 10:11 am • link • report

I don't know what GGW's calculus was to arrive at Shapiro - but its stupid politics. Biddle can win. Shapiro will only be a spoiler in this race. You want Orange, vote Shapiro.

Yep. This should go down in the annals of strategic endorsements along with "Have Faith In Our Ideas And Vote Gray".

by oboe on Apr 3, 2012 10:18 am • link • report

Perennial problems like this need solutions. I love the idea of instant runoff, but open primary would be far easier to implement. Party affiliation at the local level in DC serves no useful function; witness the flurry of Independent candidates to get around it.

by Ted on Apr 3, 2012 10:21 am • link • report

@Ted,

Agreed. But obviously closed primary, depressed turnout, and no IRV serves the interests of the corrupt Old Guard. It's not a coincidence that this year's election day comes over spring break, when many younger residents and families with children are out of town.

Next time I look forward to having a closed Democratic primary on December 26th, and maybe we can let ex-residents vote using a relative's address, like we do with DCPS enrollment.

There's more than one way to depress turnout among "undesirable" groups. Should be interesting to see the participation numbers among students and middle-class parents of young children.

by oboe on Apr 3, 2012 11:16 am • link • report

Outside of name recognition, the candidate with the best GOTV effort will ultimately win. Whether it's Orange, Biddle or Shapiro, the people will have spoken and the city will not fare much less under either candidate.

If the manner in which the campaigns have been run are an indication, Orange will get most of the W8 vote, followed by Biddle with Shapiro as the far distant third. I can, w/honesty state, that I haven't seen evidence of a Shapiro anywhere in w8. Yet, people ask "why do the same people continue to win."

Unfortunately for Biddle, the anti's didn't appreciate him being supported by Gray and Brown..which is ridiculous radicalism. So he was already on shaky ground. Then quitting in medias res didn't help. He would've been my 2nd choice.

by HogWash on Apr 3, 2012 11:42 am • link • report

Outside of name recognition, the candidate with the best GOTV effort will ultimately win. Whether it's Orange, Biddle or Shapiro, the people will have spoken and the city will not fare much less under either candidate.

Yes, I suppose most of the local governments accused of voter suppression in the Deep South will have a similar argument when they implement policies designed to drive down turnout.

by oboe on Apr 3, 2012 12:34 pm • link • report

Yes, I suppose most of the local governments accused of voter suppression in the Deep South will have a similar argument when they implement policies designed to drive down turnout.

When discussing DC politics, it's only natural that you would compare it to the jim crow south. I mean, they're plenty of similarities right w/the only difference being that blacks....well nevermind.

by HogWash on Apr 3, 2012 1:00 pm • link • report

@HogWash,

I think reasonable people can agree that voter suppression sucks whoever is in power. Or is your "the people will have spoken" tag line no longer operative?

by oboe on Apr 3, 2012 2:39 pm • link • report

I think reasonable people can agree that voter suppression sucks whoever is in power. Or is your "the people will have spoken" tag line no longer operative?

Sure we can. But what does jim crow-age voter suppression have to do w/this DC race when the vote likely will be split between 3 candidates? Are voters not being allowed to vote for whomever they choose?

Yes, the people will have spoken but what's next on your list of analogies? Do you have a black, tarred and feathered body tied to a tree that you would like to analogize as well? Or maybe an Auschwitz(sp) one?

by HogWash on Apr 3, 2012 3:27 pm • link • report

No endorsements for the hotly-contested Ward 5 election?!

by Stella on Apr 3, 2012 4:18 pm • link • report

...what does jim crow-age voter suppression have to do w/this DC race...

ah, I understand your confusion now. I'm not talking about Jim Crow era voter suppression. I'm talking about present day efforts:

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/voter_suppression/

And, yes, having an open primary, on a weekend, when many folks are not out of town is an effort to suppress the vote. Your histrionics about Auschwitz are beside the point, and I suspect just an attempt to shut down the conversation.

by oboe on Apr 3, 2012 5:40 pm • link • report

Sorry, "having an open primary, on a weekend" should be closed primary on a weekday. You get the idea.

by oboe on Apr 3, 2012 5:41 pm • link • report

Stella: That election isn't today. The endorsement is coming soon.

by David Alpert on Apr 3, 2012 6:19 pm • link • report

ah, I understand your confusion now. I'm not talking about Jim Crow era voter suppression. I'm talking about present day efforts:

And, yes, having an open primary, on a weekend, when many folks are not out of town is an effort to suppress the vote. Your histrionics about Auschwitz are beside the point, and I suspect just an attempt to shut down the conversation.

Shut down what conversation? I posited that the candidate w/the best GOTV effort will win and went on to suggest that whoever wins, the voters will have decided and we (DC) will not fare less under either one.

In response, you started talking about voter suppression and whether we're talking about the actual jim crow era antics to today's attacks on voting rights. Problem is, that in no way is relevant to what I said about the vote in DC. It's just not because no one is being denied a right to vote. No one is being suppressed here in DC and none of the articles in the link you provided supports your ridiculous response.

So again, shut down what conversation? After bringing up voter suppression efforts in other areas having absolutely NOTHING to do w/what's happening here in DC, what particular "dialogue" were you hoping to start? Images of the jim crow south?

by HogWash on Apr 3, 2012 6:56 pm • link • report

It's just an example of your "wit" veering way off the tracks. You made no sense here. Please just accept that.

by HogWash on Apr 3, 2012 6:57 pm • link • report

Well --I guess GGW was way off base. Your boy Max came in a pitiful 3rd--as expected. Muriel Bowser was the only real choice for Ward 4 and the voters agreed

by EEH on Apr 3, 2012 11:26 pm • link • report

So exactly what was predicted upthread happened and Shapiro's 10% of the vote proved decisive in throwing the victory to Orange. How many times does the same thing need to happen before the progressive community can get on the same page behind a single candidate in one of these elections? Very frustrating.

by c2b16e on Apr 3, 2012 11:40 pm • link • report

Nice job, GGW. Very helpful. Not.

by Boomer on Apr 3, 2012 11:47 pm • link • report

Frustrating results. Maybe next time, GGW can let us know who their ideal candidate is, but then give an endorsement which makes political sense?

by John on Apr 3, 2012 11:48 pm • link • report

Using a prominent platform like this to pump up Shapiro at the expense of Biddle is proof that the blog owners have no concept of what does and does not make political sense, so I seriously doubt that will happen any time soon.

by Boomer on Apr 3, 2012 11:51 pm • link • report

I wonder, given how close the tally was between Biddle and Orange, if any of the readers who supported Shapiro based on the GGW endorsement might reconsider how they voted this morning?

Also, since Bryan Weaver has tweeted something interesting last night. Something to the effect that Shapiro told everyone he didn't want to play spoiler, that the goal was to replace Vince Orange with someone better. That he would bow out of the race if it looked like he would be the impediment. I will wonder out loud now if Shapiro, buy not following his own words and original conviction, has shot himself in the foot with potential future supporters?

Personally, yes, I think he has. He has lost what goodwill and credibility he might have had by being a viable city-wide candidate.

I will be interested in the views of other GGW readers.

by William on Apr 4, 2012 6:48 am • link • report

I like the whining about Orange winning because of GGW endorsement...Biddle won 5 of 8 wards....turnout was 15%! let's get real....the voter apathy in this town is ridiculous that people just ACCEPT the corrupt I'm gonna get mine attitude of these old school politicians. Orange should have been pitched out in a landslide. Voters get what they deserve by not showing up. This city is seriously close to sliding backwards and no one cares enough to vote.

by Joe on Apr 4, 2012 7:07 am • link • report

@Joe, I will not disagree with you. At the same time, who decided it would be a good idea to hold the primary over the DCPS spring break, and what kind of impact did that have?

by William on Apr 4, 2012 7:13 am • link • report

Thanks a lot guys, looks like Orange is going to win, as everyone here predicted. Seriously, what's worse? Orange or Biddle? Think about it next time.

by Andrew on Apr 4, 2012 8:49 am • link • report