Muriel E. Bowser defeats D.C. mayor in primary
Muriel E. Bowser won the Democratic mayoral nomination Tuesday, beating incumbent Vincent C. Gray’s chance of a second term.
The 41-year-old D.C. Council member came out victorious in the latest string of District elections.
Bowser (D-Ward 4) moved deftly to capitalize on public doubts about Gray’s trustworthiness fueled by the still-unresolved federal corruption investigation into his 2010 campaign. Alone among seven Democratic challengers, she amassed a coalition that crossed demographic and geographic lines allowing her to outpoll Gray’s shrunken but steady base of African American voters. […]
With 89 percent of precincts reporting shortly before midnight, Bowser led Gray 44 percent to 33 percent — prompting a concession speech from the incumbent.
Gray said he intended to keep working, and “by the way, we have nine more months.”
Bowser’s greatest strength may have been in attracting the anti-Gray vote.
Gray won solid majorities in the eastern half of the city, but Bowser ran strongly in the western half and in her home ward — where Gray clinched the victory against Adrian M. Fenty four years ago.
Congratulations Ms. Bowser!
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