D.C. voters stuck in deep Democratic rut

OPINION:

Midterm elections have long played a special role in D.C. elections since the Watergate break-in on the first day of the summer solstice in 1972, when Washington politics became so muddied that Democrats became Republicans and black Democrats learned how to gain traction on Capitol Hill.

This midterm season is shaping up to be more of the same, with D.C. voters electing a Democrat for mayor.

The rut began with 1974 home rule privileges and Walter Washington’s election as mayor. It now runs so deep even so-called independents win elective offices. Registration stats are a hoax.

The scheme is winning the Democratic mayoral primary is tantamount to winning the general election. (Sorry, Hillary.)

Nonetheless, it’s worth trying to distinguish Democratic mayoral contenders from each other. After all, citizens in every state and territory of the Union send their money to the District, and that money is dispensed for schooling, homelessness, law enforcement and other coffers.

Now, Mayor Muriel Bowser supports education. But who doesn’t? And the chairman of the D.C. Council panel that oversees is education does, too. I’ll let you in on a little secret of theirs: They both knew our school system was pulling kids and dollars into the rut and did nothing about. Indeed, the system is so dysfunctional the only adults happy with it are the ones deeply involved with their children’s schooling. They say hands off.

The problem: “D.C. Public Schools [system] is on auto-pilot,” mayoral contender Ernest Johnson recently told me over coffee.

A solution: “We need at least 10 vocational schools,” he said. “We could work with GM, Ford, Chrysler and educate auto mechanics. Use vocational students to help rehab our housing.”

Think outside the “academic” box, he said.

Mr. Johnson is right. Auto mechanics’ average salary is $49,000, plumbers’ is $50,000 and bricklayers’ is $80,000.

I understood because the voc-ed and housing pitch was in a vein similar to that of Tony Williams, who served as the city’s bow tie-wearing chief financial officer before running as a Democrat for mayor in 1998.

Mr. Williams was in a hell of a footrace, running in a Democratic field that included three sitting council members — Harold Brazil, Kevin Chavous and Jack Evans. Mr. Williams won because he told voters to “look outside the box” — and they did, electing him twice.

All of Mr. Williams’ successors picked up where he left off, but not by thinking outside any box.

Members of the Adrian Fenty administration mostly talked among themselves and followed a Democratic script — until he appointed Michelle Rhee as schools chief. She said if we’re going to hold students accountable we’re going to hold teachers accountable, too.

No such game-changer stood out in the Vince Gray administration, as Mr. Gray was a former Democratic Party leader with a long memory.

When Miss Bowser came along, that was no surprise either — although if Democratic voters went to bed thinking Mr. Gray had won, they were likely taken aback.

Dems already knew Muriel as a hometown gal, neighborhood doer and council member (and folks from every corner likely know her pop, Joe Bowser). What Dems and non-Dems are saying this time around is “I just don’t like her.”

Well, non-Dems can’t vote for her or against her on June 19, Primary Day — and the really telling thing is that the Democratic primary in D.C. politics might as well be Election Day.

Know why: The mayoral candidates who have won the Democratic primary also have won the general election. No matter the Republican or other non-Dems. The Dems win. All the time. Every time.

That’s the gist of what D.C. voters have to look forward to this midterm. Oh well.

• Deborah Simmons can be contacted at dsimmons@washingtontimes.com.