Afro 2018 endorsement guide

AFRO Endorsements in Maryland Governor • page 3 U.S. Senate • page 4 U.S. House of Representatives • page 5 Maryland Senate • page 7 Maryland House of Delegates • page 11 Prince George’s County Executive • page 12

AFRO Endorsements in DC Mayor • page 14 Delegate to the U.S. Congress • page 14 D.C. Council Ward 1 • page 14 D.C. Council Ward 5 • page 14 D.C. Council At-Large • page 15

June 9 • AFRO’s 2018 Endorsement Guide

2

Letter from the Publisher

T

his year the AFRO changed our endorsement process by inviting members of the community to be a part of our editorial board. We sent out a survey to many of the candidates and then asked several of them to meet with us for an interview.

The editorial board was made up of activists, pastors, organizers, civil rights advocates and other leading figures from across the state of Maryland. All of them gave their valuable time to sit down and ask questions of the candidates who came in to explain why they should be elected.

The questions they asked of the candidates were well researched and helped inform our selection process.

In the following pages you will find our choices for offices across

A publication of the Afro-American Newspapers The Baltimore Afro-American Newspaper

1531 S. Edgewood Street Baltimore, MD 21227 410.554.8200

The Washington Afro-American Newspaper

1816 12th Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 202.332.0080 Frances Murphy Draper Chairman/Publisher Director of Advertising Lenora Howze Managing Editor Kamau High Baltimore Editor Sean Yoes Washington Editor Micha Green Design/Layout Denise Dorsey

Maryland as well as Washington, D.C. These endorsements represent the view of the paper and not the individual thoughts or viewpoints of any particular person represented on the board.

The Maryland primary takes place June 26 although early voting begins June 14. The D.C. primary is June 19 with early voting currently taking place.

While every election is important, the upcoming midterms will determine many things including how much opposition the Trump administration faces and who Hogan will face in the general election. Keep that in mind as you make your choices. You can not sit this one out.

Frances M. Draper, AFRO CEO and Publisher

The Maryland Editorial Board Dr. Paul Archibald is a professor at Morgan State University’s School of Social Work.

Pastor Jamal Bryant is the head of the Empowerment Temple Church in Baltimore.

Wanda Draper is the executive director of the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture in Baltimore.

Kamau High is the AFRO Managing Editor and has been with the paper for three years.

Adam Jackson is co-founder and CEO of Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle, Baltimore’s grassroots Black think tank.

The Living Well Center for Social and Economic Vibrancy.

A. Dwight Pettit is a civil rights attorney based in Baltimore.

Professor E.R. Shipp is a founding faculty member of the School of Global Journalism and Communication at Morgan State University, where she currently directs the school’s new Baltimore Reporting Project. She is a 1996 recipient of the Pulitzer Prize.

Gerald Stansbury is the president of the Maryland branch of the NAACP. Stacy Smith is a long-time Baltimore based community activist.

Nicole Mundell is executive director of Out For Justice, a returning citizen and member-led organization with the mission to engage, educate and empower individuals with criminal records in Maryland.

Sean Yoes is the AFRO Baltimore Editor and has been with the paper for more than 15 years.

Nneka Nnamdi is the founder of Fight Blight Bmore, a campaign of people working together to cultivate safe, green, economically vibrant communities in Baltimore and she is a partner at

Larry Young is a long time radio host on Baltimore’s WOLB and former state senator.

• Laura Byrd, AFRO Board Member

12

AFRO’s 2018 Endorsement Guide • June 9

For Governor: Rushern Baker Maryland is at a crossroads. From what the state will do about the historic HBCU lawsuit it lost but continues to appeal, to how the many people who desperately needed the Red Line will cope in its absence. Baltimore’s police department is so far unable to solve the murder of one its own, Det. Sean Suiter, let alone cope with the continuing rise in homicides, the existence of open air drug markets and the mounting corruption scandal which has seen several officers go to jail for serious crimes.

That is what makes who the next governor will be such a critical decision.

With the death of Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and the elevation of his running mate Valerie Ervin to the top of the ticket, Maryland has a Black woman as the face of a serious ticket. Ervin’s running mate, Marisol Johnson, is also a woman of color. It is egregious that the two of them do not have their names on the ballot. We wish them well on their lawsuit to have Kamenetz’s name with their own.

The ticket of Jim Shea, long time Baltimore lawyer, and Baltimore City Councilman Brandon Scott, deserves commendation for racial diversity as well as that of Richard Madeleno and Luwanda Jenkins.

Ben Jealous, the former head of the NAACP, has amplified a powerful, progressive message. Hopefully he will continue to speak out and seek elected office.

Rushern Baker, the current County Executive for Prince George’s County, has the necessary experience of running a large, diverse government and of having been a community activist. Prince George’s County is one of Maryland’s jewels. Having served in the House of Delegates from 1994-2003 and as County Executive from 2010 to today he knows intimately how the levers of power in the state work and is prepared to do the hard work starting on his first day in office. For those reasons, the AFRO endorses his candidacy for governor.

WHEN IT COMES TO BRINGING HOME RESULTS FOR EAST BALTIMORE, EXPERIENCE MATTERS. WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK.

45TH DISTRICT CENTRAL COMMITTEE

Senator McFadden, Delegate Branch and Delegate Glenn endorse for State Central Committee: Eric Booker, Chanel Branch, Margie Brinkley, Jasmine Collins, Kurt Kennedy, Denise Richards, Robert Stokes

VOTE JUNE 26 FOR SENATOR NATHANIEL MCFADDEN, DELEGATE TALMADGE BRANCH AND DELEGATE CHERYL GLENN

And the 45th District Central Committee slate EARLY VOTING JUNE 14 – 21

Delegate Talmadge Branch

Majority whip, Maryland House of Delegates

Delegate Cheryl D. Glenn

Chair of the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland

Senator Nathaniel McFadden

Maryland Senate President Pro Tem and Member of Budget and Taxation Committee

Paid for and authorized by:Nathaniel J. McFadden for Senate, John Etoh, Treasurer. I Friends of Talmadge Branch, Keith Woodlon, Treasurer. I Friends of Cheryl D. Glenn, Nikila Savage, Treasurer.

June 9 • AFRO’s 2018 Endorsement Guide

32

For U.S. Senate: Ben Cardin Ben Cardin has been a U.S. Senator since 2006 and is the ranking member of the Committee on Foreign Relations. Before that Cardin held office in the Maryland General Assembly in the House of Delegates from 1967-1987 and the U.S. House of Representatives 1987-2007.

Since the election of Donald Trump he has been consistent in calling out the growing number of outrages the Trump administration commits every day. When speaking at Baltimore’s New Shiloh Baptist Church earlier this year he said, “We need you. The moral direction of America is being challenged.” That notion remains true today and why the AFRO endorses his re-election.

14

AFRO’s 2018 Endorsement Guide • June 9

U.S. House of Representatives District 2: Dutch Ruppersberger

District 3: John Sarbanes

Dutch Ruppersberger, the former Baltimore County Executive, has served in the House of Representatives since 2002. The veteran lawmaker, who serves on the Appropriations Committee, has steered millions of dollars for roads and schools to the state. For those reasons, the AFRO endorses his re-election.

John Sarbanes, son of former U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes, has held office since 2007. He represents the same district his father once did. Sarbanes is a strong supporter of the Affordable Care Act, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and reviving the Red Line cancelled by Gov. Hogan. For those reasons, the AFRO endorses his reelection.

District 7: Elijah Cummings

In addition to being a watchdog for Maryland, Elijah Cummings has served as a relentless check on the many lies and cover-ups of the Trump administration. From his perch on the House Oversight Committee Cummings has tangled with perhaps the most corrupt administration in modern times. While he has been physically slowed by knee surgery and a lingering recovery, his greatest asset, his mind, remains sharp and aware of all of Trump’s transgressions. Cummings, who has written a column for the AFRO for the past 20 years, has long been a staunch civil rights advocate and champion of HBCUs. Today we need him to continue to focus not only those things but to serve as a check on an administration that daily seeks to undermine the very premise of representative government.

VOTE FOR

Senator Joan Carter Conway Regina T. Boyce for Delegate Delegate Maggie McIntosh “Baltimore needs Joan Carter Conway. As the first and only African-American woman to chair a Senate committee, Joan has brought an important voice to Annapolis. She has used her position to get funding for our schools, to support criminal justice reform, and to protect our healthcare from Republican cuts.

Join me in re-electing Senator Conway.”

Authority: 43rd District Leadership Slate, Matthew Stegman, Treasurer.

— Congressman Elijah Cummings

June 9 • AFRO’s 2018 Endorsement Guide

52

For Baltimore State’s Attorney: Marilyn Mosby smear campaign and supports her opponent, Ivan Bates.

Mosby has vowed to hold the Baltimore Police Department, including the many officers who are too compromised to testify in any case they make an arrest, accountable. For those reasons, the AFRO endorses her re-election.

Courtesy photo

Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby

Courtesy photo

Courtesy photo

that remains unanswered.

Marilyn Mosby did the best she could when facing the nearly insurmountable odds of holding police officers accountable for their actions. The FOP, which remains powerful despite the cascading corruption in the Baltimore Police Department, has targeted Mosby in a vicious Courtesy photo

There is a billboard on North Avenue in Baltimore that asks the question, “Whoever died from a rough ride?” As we enter the third year after the death of Freddie Gray, with zero of the police officers there the day he died from injuries suffered while in their custody held accountable, that is a pressing questions

For Baltimore City Sheriff: John W. Anderson

For Baltimore Register of Wills: Belinda Conaway

For Baltimore Clerk of Court: Lenora Dawson

VOTE BAKER

JUNE 26

A PLAN FOR JOBS. A PLAN FOR PEOPLE. A plan for Baltimore.

Created over 16,000 jobs Cut crime in half First to raise minimum wage to the highest in Maryland

rushernbaker.com/baltimore-plan

By Authority, Friends of Rushern L. Baker III, Calvin Brown, Treasurer, P.O. Box 133, Greenbelt, MD 20700

2 61

AFRO’s 2018 Endorsement Guide • June 9

Maryland Senate District 20: Will Smith

Maryland Senator Will Smith has already proven to be a strong leader and advocate in his district, and the AFRO believes he should be selected for another term to continue the work he has already begun. As a civil rights attorney native to Silver Spring, Smith’s background has allowed for a true investment in the community and a commitment to improve the livelihoods of others. As the first African American to represent Montgomery County in the State Senate, Smith has worked towards affordable housing in Silver Spring, part of the area he represents and closing the diversity gap of success in the classroom.

District 24: Joanne Benson

Maryland Senator Joanne Benson is one of the most powerful voices in the county on matters dealing with education and seniors and she should continue to serve in Annapolis to continue her work.

District 25: Melony Griffith

Former Maryland Delegate Melony Griffith should be the next senator to represent District 25 in Annapolis. Griffith served as the chair of the Prince George’s County House Delegation and has worked with Democratic and Republican governors. She has the experience to replace Ulysses Currie in that seat whereas her opponents are passionate about issues but lack the experience to be effective at this point.

Continued on Page 8

Authority: Citizens For Sandy Rosenberg, Herbert Brown, Treasurer

Here are some of their accomplishments:

«Seven new schools will be built for our children «Liquor stores must close earlier in Liberty Heights and Park Heights, reducing criminal activity «Slots money has assisted programs in Park Heights, Liberty Heights, and Northwest communities – $37 million for housing, public safety, redevelopment, recreation, sanitation, and school programs In the years ahead, we will need effective legislators to keep the Preakness at Pimlico and increase state aid for our schools by enacting the Kirwan Commission report

Improvements and Jobs for Our Communities 21st Century Schools

2018 Capital Projects Funded

Arlington Elementary School, Lyndhurst Elementary School, Forest Park High School, Pimlico Elementary/Middle School - $191 Million Calvin Rodwell Elementary/Middle School, Cross Country Elementary/Middle School, Medfield Heights Elementary School – Budgets to be determined

40 West Assistance and Referral Center - $125,000 Bnos Yisroel – gymnasium $200,000 Langston Hughes Community, Business and Resource Center - $500,000 West Arlington Water Tower - $500,000 Mary Rodman Recreation Center - $750,000

“Baltimore City needs effective legislators like Angela Gibson and Sandy Rosenberg in Annapolis. I am proud to support them.” Congressman Elijah Cummings

“Baltimore City needs effective legislators like Angela Gibson and Sandy Rosenberg in Annapolis. I am proud to support them.” Congressman Elijah Cummings

“Angela Gibson and Sandy Rosenberg have been advocates for civil rights throughout their careers. They get the job done.

We need them in Annapolis.” Congressman John P. Sarbanes

June 9 • AFRO’s 2018 Endorsement Guide

72

staimandesign.com

staimandesign.com

”Sandy Rosenberg has been an outstanding legislator.

Angela Gibson has a long and productive career in public service. They deserve your support.“ Senator Ben Cardin

staimandesign.com

staimandesign.com

Delegates Angela Gibson and Sandy Rosenberg have worked hard for their constituents in all of the neighborhoods of the 41st District. That’s why they are supported by Senator Ben Cardin, Congressman Elijah Cummings and Congressman John P. Sarbanes.

staimandesign.com

Citizens for Angela C. Gibson, Michael K. May, Treasurerr

POWERFUL ADVOCATES FOR THE 41ST DISTRICT ANDTHE CITY OF BALTIMORE!

Maryland Senate Continued from Page 7

40th District: Barbara Robinson

Recently, several of Barbara Robinson’s campaign signs have been defaced with the word “liar.” However, Robinson has conducted herself with a great deal of integrity over the course of her decades-long public service career.

Robinson, a lifelong educator (Robinson has been an adjunct professor for BCCC, Dundalk Community College and Anne Arundel Community College), has been a grassroots advocate for women, children and small business owners for many years.

However, her opponent Del. Antonio Hayes is also impressive; he has already racked up a solid list of accomplishments in the House. Although Hayes has only served one term as a Delegate, he has significant legislative experience as a legislative aide to former Del. Salima Siler Marriott, director of Legislative Affairs to former Baltimore City Council President Sheila Dixon and as assistant deputy mayor from 2007-2010.

Ultimately, the AFRO believes Robinson’s cogent leadership will continue to serve the residents of the 40th District well.

41st District: Jill Carter

Jill Carter, as a Delegate for the 41st (2003-2017), then as director of the Baltimore City Office of Civil Rights (OCR), since 2017, has a clear track record of fighting for some of the most disenfranchised communities in the city. Carter recently resigned from the OCR, after Gov. Larry Hogan appointed her to the 41st District Senate seat vacated by disgraced Sen. Nathaniel Oaks.

As a Delegate in the 41st, Carter sponsored legislation to impose a moratorium on the controversial $100 million, 180-bed youth jail, proposed by Gov. Martin O’Malley. Ultimately, Carter and community advocates stopped the construction of the facility in 2013.

Carter also sponsored and passed “Christopher’s Law,” which requires police officers to be trained in CPR, cultural sensitivity, the proper use of force and interacting with the physically and mentally disabled. The law is named after Christopher Brown, the 17-year old who was killed when Baltimore County police applied a choke hold during an altercation in 2012.

Carter was a vocal and active advocate against the zero tolerance policing policy, which led to the arrest on average of more than 100,000 mostly Black, mostly poor Baltimore residents from 1999 to 2007. She lobbied for altering the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights, the oldest and most comprehensive set of protections for law enforcement officers in the nation. For years Carter fought for lead abatement in drinking water in Baltimore City Public Schools and sponsored bills to create greater civil liability and criminal penalties for lead law violators. This is a partial list of Carter’s political and social justice legacy, rooted in the work of her father Walter P. Carter, the civil rights icon. We look forward to Jill Carter continuing her work as the Senator for the 41st.

43rd District: Joan Carter Conway

Joan Carter Conway is arguably the most powerful member of the Maryland Senate only behind Senate President Mike Miller (D-27), and the unquestioned champion of Maryland’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities. No member of the Baltimore Delegation is a more formidable fighter than Conway, who is chair of the important Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee.

For these reasons and more, the AFRO feels it is essential to re-elect Sen. Conway.

However, Conway’s opponent, Del. Mary Washington has compiled an impressive record as a legislator in the House of Delegates; she is extremely bright, hard working, resourceful and passionate about finding solutions for many of the challenges confronting the 43rd.

If 2019 is the beginning of Sen. Conway’s last term (as she has pledged), representing East Baltimore’s 43rd District, we are hopeful Del. Washington will step up again to take Conway’s seat after the venerable Senator steps away.

44th District: Shirley Nathan-Pulliam

Shirley Nathan-Pulliam has served in Annapolis for more than 20 years, first entering the House of Delegates in 1995 representing the 10th District. Over the years Nathan-Pulliam has been the primary sponsor of dozens of pieces of legislation that have been signed into law in the Senate and the House, but her passion has been healthcare.

Nathan-Pulliam, a practicing nurse for decades, is focused on the more than 750,000 Maryland residents who are uninsured, with a disproportionate number of them in the 44th, one of the most impoverished districts in the city. We feel there is no one better equipped to fight for affordable health care for her constituents and the rest of the state.

45th District: Nathaniel McFadden

Nathaniel McFadden, President Pro Tem of the Senate, is the patriarch of the East Baltimore political scene. A protégé of the legendary Clarence “Du”

18

Continued on Page 10

AFRO’s 2018 Endorsement Guide • June 9

June 9 • AFRO’s 2018 Endorsement Guide

92

Maryland Senate Continued from Page 8

Burns, the city’s first Black mayor, McFadden has methodically built and consolidated his Eastside power base over a political career that has spanned more than three decades.

Much of the Middle East community within McFadden’s district was once dilapidated, now much of it has been reinvigorated and rebuilt with modern new additions. The $65.5 million innovation hub, for Johns Hopkins Hospital research, was developed by Hopkins, Forest City Enterprises and East Baltimore Development Inc., (EBDI). On the ground floor of the building is a Starbucks, which would have seemed implausible a decade ago. The building is part of the 88-acre EDBI renewal area.

The plan to renovate the once blighted community was quarterbacked by McFadden (with significant contributions to the process by Black leaders and builders), who has decided to make his bid for one last term in the Senate. The AFRO believes Sen. McFadden, second in line to Mike Miller in the Senate, has earned one more term (he says he plans to retire if he is re-elected) to zealously fight for his constituents.

However, McFadden is perhaps in the fight of his political life, attempting to weather the relentless challenge of Del. Cory McCray, who has emerged as a dynamic young leader in East Baltimore, exhibiting a vigorous work ethic for his constituents and on the campaign trail. McCray’s backstory is a Baltimore success story; after scrapes with the law as a young man, McCray has persevered to obtain his GED and two college degrees (BCCC and the National Labor College), he is a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and is building a rental property business.

Still, after just one term in the House, the AFRO feels McCray may have been better positioned after serving another term as a Delegate, before stepping up to challenge McFadden.

✓ VOTE FOR ❑

DISTRICT 40 W W W. A N TO N I O H AY E S . C O M B Y A U T H O R I T Y: C I T I Z E N S F O R A N T O N I O H AY E S , J O S E P H A . P O W E L L , T R E A S U R E R .

110

AFRO’s 2018 Endorsement Guide • June 9

Maryland House of Delegates 24th District: Jazz Lewis

Maryland Delegate Jazz Lewis has been a legislator less than a year but has proven to be a quick study and zealous in his advocacy for all of District 24, not just the affluent northeastern part.

40th District: Frank Conway Jr., and Nick Mosby

Frank Conway Jr., a, a member of the Conway political dynasty of West Baltimore, was an early proponent of equipping Baltimore police officers with body cameras. Nick Mosby, demonstrated leadership (he sponsored the “ban the box” legislation, which prohibits certain employers from asking job applicants about their criminal past before making a conditional job offer) and guts (interjecting himself directly at the epicenter of the uprising of 2015 as a moderating force, at the height of the unrest), as a member of the Baltimore City Council representing District Seven. Mosby was appointed to his current seat in the House representing the 40th District in 2017 and the AFRO believes he’ll continue to provide the same work ethic exhibited as a member of the City Council for his constituents in the 40th.

41st District: Bilal Ali, Angela Gibson, Samuel “Sandy” Rosenberg The AFRO endorses the three incumbents currently representing the 41st. Bilal Ali is a longtime business owner, community advocate and leader in Baltimore’s Muslim community. Angela Gibson is the 41st District chair of the Baltimore City Central Committee and worked in the Baltimore Mayor’s Office for 30 years. Both Ali and Gibson were appointed to their House seats in Feb. 2017. Samuel “Sandy” Rosenberg is the longest continuously serving member of the House from the Baltimore City Delegation (since 1983). He was the primary sponsor, or co-sponsor of 174 bills during the 2018 legislative session.

Continued on Page 12

June 9 • AFRO’s 2018 Endorsement Guide

112

Maryland House of Delegates Continued from Page 11

43rd District: Maggie McIntosh

Maggie McIntosh, one of the most influential members of the House, is chair of the powerful Appropriations Committee. A member of the House since 1992, McIntosh has been a part of Baltimore’s Democratic political arena for decades (she was an elected delegate to the Democratic Party National Convention in 1980 and campaign manager and state director for the legendary Sen. Barbara Mikulski, 1988-92). She is the most reliable political partner on the House side for Sen. Joan Carter Conway, forming one of the most effective legislative tandems in the state.

45th District: Talmadge Branch, Cheryl Glenn

The AFRO endorses Talmadge Branch and Cheryl Glenn, two veteran legislators for the 45th District. Branch has been a member of the House since 1995 and has been the majority whip since 2007. He began his political career as a special assistant (1984-1987) to the iconic Rep. Parren J. Mitchell, the first Black Congressman in Maryland’s history.

Glenn has been a member of the House since 2007 and was chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, 2016-2018.

She worked for many years for Baltimore City Public Schools, as a personnel officer, 1974-1988, and a field rep-

For Prince George’s County Executive: Paul Monteiro The county executive is the chief operating officer of the Prince George’s County government and the voters should not choose an inexperienced person for that position. On the other, it should not go to political hacks and professional politicians who see things in a strictly political lens and not in ways to help the county and its residents prosper.

The AFRO did not hear from several County Executive Candidates by press time and so the endorsement was made based off of those candidates who did reply to the publication’s request. That is why the AFRO supports Paul Monteiro. Monteiro is a product of the Prince George’s County public school system and successfully managed AmeriCorps, the federal government’s volunteer service organization. He works as the chief of staff for the president of Howard University and is therefore familiar with dealing with the issues that are inherent in managing large institutions.. That said, the AFRO has also been impressed with Angela Alsobrooks and her work as State’s Attorney for the county, and her campaign ideas in terms of jobs and economic development, education, and transportation.

1 12

AFRO’s 2018 Endorsement Guide • June 9

Letter from the Publisher

T

he AFRO’s Washington D.C. office sent surveys to many of the candidates and, with the aid of a community editorial board, interviewed candidates running in Washington, D.C., Prince George’s County and other districts in Maryland.

After conducting interviews, holding meetings and careful consideration through the beginning of June, the AFRO Washington, D.C. editorial board has decided to endorse the below candidates for elected office. These endorsements represent the view of the paper and not the individual thoughts or viewpoints of any particular person represented on the board.

The AFRO editorial board is impressed with the candidates running for office in 2018. Voting is critical and African Americans, and others, died for that right.

The Washington Metropolitan area is seeing a great deal of intelligent, involved, impressive candidates of color running for office. The AFRO asks, taking these endorsements into consideration, that readers vote in the District’s June 19 primaries and June 26 in Maryland. Early voting is also available in both D.C. and Maryland. Early voting began in the District on June 4 and will begin in Maryland on June 14.

Frances M. Draper, AFRO CEO and Publisher

D.C. Editorial Board Edgar Brookins, AFRO Washington, D.C. General Manager- In addition to his duties as the General Manager of the AFRO Washington, D.C. office he is also the D.C. Circulation Manager. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations that includes maintaining strong relationships with the local community on all levels; business, church, political, government and educational.

Micha Green, AFRO Washington, D.C. Editor- A graduate of District of Columbia Public Schools (Duke Ellington School of the Arts), Green is excited to be serving her community and people as AFRO Washington, D.C. Editor since February of this year.

Hamil Harris, AFRO reporter- Harris has returned to the AFRO after more than 20 years at the Washington Post where he chronicled the District government, the Million Man March, the Clinton White House, the Sept. 11 attack, the Sniper Attacks, Hurricane Katrina, the campaign of President Barack Obama among other things.

Raynard Jackson, Political Strategist, ColumnistJackson is a Republican political strategist and communications expert. The Multicultural Media Correspondents Association recognized Jackson at the National Press Club in May for his dedication to journalism.

Pamela Jenkins, Realtor, Community Activist- Pamela D. Jenkins, a top-producing realtor, is a native Washingtonian with a passion for making a difference.

James Wright, AFRO reporter- Wright has covered Capitol Hill, national, District of Columbia and Prince George’s County politics in addition to reporting from foreign countries for the AFRO. Wright started with the AFRO in October 1991 and has been with the newspaper except for stints with the Washington Post and the Washington Informer.

June 9 • AFRO’s 2018 Endorsement Guide

132

For Mayor of Washington, D.C.: Muriel Bowser While The AFRO editorial board did not receive surveys or conduct interviews from each mayoral candidate by press time, through meetings and research, the board concluded that the incumbent, Muriel Bowser, was the best candidate presented in the June Primary. Since taking office, Bowser herself has remained virtually scandal free despite issues in her administration. Also, the mayor’s approach to policing, particularly implementing the largest body worn camera program in the country and the requiring of bias training for officers, directly reflects some of the values championed by the AFRO in terms of criminal justice reform.

For Delegate to the U.S. Congress: Eleanor Holmes Norton Continuing her longtime legacy of success in Congress, particularly with her vested interest in statehood and furthering the education of District residents, such as with programs like DC TAG, the AFRO believes Eleanor Holmes Norton is suited to remain in her position as D.C.’s Representative in Congress. That said, the AFRO editorial board was thoroughly impressed with newcomer, Kim Ford, who worked in the Obama administration and as Dean of University of the District of Columbia Community College, and her positions on improving the City utilizing tools that were effective in states and other jurisdictions and bringing it to D.C. The AFRO editorial board foresees a long future in politics for Ford and hopes she remains in active in the District’s political scene.

For D.C. Council Ward 1: Sheika Reid No one questions the effective of D.C. Council member Brianne Nadeau on the issues that she sees as being important. Dog parks, bike lanes and amenities that are suitable to newcomers to her ward seem to be priorities for her but we respectfully contend that there are other issues integral to Ward 1 and the District that Nadeau does not necessarily empathize with or prioritize. The AFRO endorses Sheika Reid as the best candidate for African Americans in Ward 1 because she has the institutional history, passion and activism in areas such as confronting the high cost of traffic tickets that better represent the overall needs of all Ward 1 residents.

For D.C. Council Ward 5: Kenyan McDuffie D.C. Council member Kenyan McDuffie has earned another four-year term. He has authored landmark legislation such as the NEAR Act, which has changed the way law enforcement deals with those in the criminal justice system and has been an advocate for responsible economic development in his ward. In addition, there is no hint of scandal with McDuffie and that is definitely a plus in an era of “pay-to-play” perception at the John A. Wilson Building.

114

AFRO’s 2018 Endorsement Guide • June 9

For D.C. Council At Large: Marcus Goodwin The Democratic at-large council member must be versatile enough to address the issues that confront all residents of the city. While D.C. Council member Anita Bonds has performed when it comes to fighting for senior citizens and addressing the issue of affordable housing, sometimes a more passionate voice is needed. Marcus Goodwin, a native Washingtonian, real estate professional who has strong ties to developers but well understands the needs for affordable housing not just for seniors, but for everyone should be the next Democratic council member at-large. Goodwin can deal intelligently and strategically with the well-moneyed developers and yet work well with affordable housing advocates and those who need jobs in the District.

Vote in the Tuesday, June 19, 2018 Primary Election Polls will be open from 7 am to 8 pm.

During the Primary, only Democratic, Republican, DC Statehood Green, and Libertarian voters may vote on the candidates. However, every registered voter, including unaffiliated and minor party affiliated voters, may vote on the Initiative Measure that will appear on the ballot.

Contests on the Ballot: Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives Mayor of the District of Columbia Chairman of the Council At-large Member of the Council Ward Member of the Council for Wards 1, 3, 5 and 6 Attorney General of the District of Columbia United States Senator United States Representative National and Local Party Committee Members Initiative Measure No. 77, the “District of Columbia Minimum Wage Amendment Act of 2017”* * All voters, regardless of party affiliation status, will be asked to vote “YES” to approve or “NO” to reject the Initiative Measure in the Primary. For the complete text of the Initiative Measure, please visit our website at www.dcboe.org.

Want to Vote Early?

Early Voting will start at One Judiciary Square on June 4, and at ward-based Early Voting Centers on June 8. Early Voting Centers are open daily (including weekends) through June 15, 2018 from 8:30 am until 7 pm.

Early Voting Centers: Monday, June 4 — Friday, June 15 (Paper & Touchscreen Ballots) • Ward 2: One Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street NW

You Can Make A Difference.

Friday, June 8 — Friday, June 15 (Touchscreen Ballots only) • Ward 1: Columbia Heights Community Center, 1480 Girard Street NW • Ward 3: Chevy Chase Community Center, 5601 Connecticut Avenue NW • Ward 4: Takoma Community Center, 300 Van Buren Street NW • Ward 5: Turkey Thicket Recreation Center, 1100 Michigan Avenue NE • Ward 6: Sherwood Recreation Center, 640 10th Street NE • Ward 6: King Greenleaf Recreation Center, 201 N Street SW • Ward 7: Deanwood Recreation Center, 1350 49th Street NE • Ward 8: Malcolm X Opportunity Center, 1351 Alabama Avenue SE Need More Information?

For more information on the upcoming election, on voter registration, to confirm your registration information, or to find your polling place, please visit www.dcboe.org or call (202) 727-2525.

June 9 • AFRO’s 2018 Endorsement Guide

152

1

AFRO’s 2018 Endorsement Guide • June 9