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Pat Mara Joins Field For D.C. Council Special Election

By: Patrick Madden // December 12, 2012
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A special election in April will fill the at-large seat on the D.C. Council.
Mallory Noe-Payne
A special election in April will fill the at-large seat on the D.C. Council.

The field for the April 23 special election to fill the vacant seat on the D.C. Council is starting to take shape. Republican Pat Mara has declared his candidacy for the at-large seat most recently occupied by Phil Mendelson, now council chairman.

In a city where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 10 to 1, Mara will nonetheless be viewed as one of the front-runners. Mara finished a close second during the 2011 special election for an at-large seat, and recently won a seat on the school board.

Mara made the announcement on Newstalk with Bruce Depuyt, and later filed with the District's board of elections to make it official.

This week, Anita Bonds was selected to serve as the interim council member, and more than a half-dozen other candidates have or are planning bids as well.

Meanwhile, Ward One council member Jim Graham may have a challenger, if he decides to run in 2014. Brianne Nadeau, a local activist, says she plans to run for seat and has already raised $35,000 for her effort.

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