Gray Courts Voters In Ward 3

By Patrick Madden

D.C.'s Democratic nominee for mayor, Vincent Gray, is trying to woo voters in a part of the city that overwhelmingly supported his opponent in September's primary.

Gray held a town hall meeting last night in upper Northwest Washington as part of his citywide listening tour.

In her introduction for Gray, Ward 3 Council Member Mary Cheh called it the elephant in the room: The fact that voters in the ward supported Gray's opponent, Mayor Adrian Fenty, by a 4 to 1 margin.

But if Gray thought he was walking into the lion's den at last night's town hall, he was mistaken.

There were barely any critical comments or pointed questions. In fact, the name "Michelle Rhee" wasn't even brought up during the entire two hours.

Expensive parking meters, on the other hand, earned the ire of at least one Ward 3 resident.

"I'd rather you increase my taxes and then once a year write you a check, than have to deal with those 'facacta' meters," one resident shouts.

The only opposition to Gray, it seemed, took place outside the event, where a handful of Fenty supporters formerly announced a write-in campaign for the mayor in November's general election. Fenty, however, has endorsed Gray and has repeatedly said he will not run as an independent.

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