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Graham says he won't seek at-large council seat
(Published May 17, 2004)

By KATHRYN SINZINGER
Staff Writer

At the urging of D.C. City Council Chairman Linda W. Cropp, Ward 1 Councilman Jim Graham announced May 5 that he has abandoned his plans to challenge incumbent At-Large Councilman Harold Brazil’s re-election this fall.

"Linda was deeply concerned about the divisive nature of such a campaign … and I’ve been concerned, as well, by some of the exchanges [between himself and Brazil] over the past month, which have been unpleasant," Graham said in a telephone interview after his decision was announced.

Graham said he also was concerned that a possible race between the two sitting council members was beginning to be talked about in some quarters as a "racial competition." In a city with a majority black population and few elected officeholders, Graham said he is "sensitive" to the possibility that his victory over Brazil could stir racial tensions.

"If I won – and I believe I would have won – all four at-large [council] members would have been white and from west of 16th Street," Graham said. "I want to be evaluated on the merits of who I am and who I am not."

Graham said he made his decision after meeting with Cropp and Brazil "after 10 o’clock" on the night before his announcement. Before the meeting, Graham said, "my decision was to run." He had planned to formally announce his candidacy, but instead pulled out of the race.

In a statement released by his council office, Brazil said he "decided to call on Chairman Linda Cropp to bring the parties together to discuss the situation and avoid a divisive election." Brazil’s statement described the meeting as "an open and honest discussion of how our campaigns would affect the Council and its ability to address the issues facing our city."

Cropp told The Common Denominator that she got involved in the matter on a personal basis, not as council chairman, "because [Graham and Brazil] called me. ...It wasn't something I volunteered for."

"Both of them are my friends – they were asking me what my opinion was," Cropp said. "I told them I had a concern that maybe it would be divisive on the council [if they ran against one another]."

Graham formed an "exploratory committee" about two months ago to consider the feasibility of challenging Brazil in the Sept.14 Democratic primary election. A poll conducted for Graham in March indicated that Brazil may be vulnerable to a challenge.

Graham estimated that his exploratory committee took in "between $30,000 and $40,000" in contributions and said it has not yet paid all of its outstanding expenses. Although Graham disclosed contributors to his two previous exploratory committees, formed to seek election and re-election to his Ward 1 council seat, he said he does not plan to disclose the names of contributors to his current exploratory committee to protect them from any political repercussions.

D.C. law does not require disclosure unless an exploratory committee becomes an official campaign committee for a candidate to seek election.

"I’m not going to release that information, because I’m not running," Graham told The Common Denominator. "The donors are sensitive, under the circumstances, to having supported me [against an incumbent]."

Noting that "there have been concerns" about potential undisclosed conflicts of interest related to exploratory committees, Graham said he "would support reform legislation" to change the legal requirements for exploratory efforts and also will consider introducing such reforms himself.