Vincent C. Gray (D)

He then worked for or directed a spate of social service nonprofits, including Covenant House and the D.C. Association for Retarded Citizens.

Gray's first political position was as chairman of the Ward 7 Democrats, a post he assumed in 2003, rapidly strengthening the group's cash reserves and meeting attendance. Discontent in the ward led him to challenge incumbent council member Kevin P. Chavous not long afterward, a race he won easily.

D.C. Council Chairman

Two years later when the chairmanship opened, Gray ran against and defeated then-Ward 3 Council member Kathy Patterson by a wider-than-expected margin.

"Vince Gray has set the bar," said one Ward 7 activist during an election to replace Gray after he became chairman. "He brought a dedication and professionalism. He was the first one to bring the ward together from north to south, east to west." Gray's preferred candidate, Yvette Alexander, eventually inherited his council seat.

Gray's term as council chair saw the council begin on good terms with Mayor Fenty, approving the transition of power from the Board of Education to the mayor's office. But relations eventually soured because of what some Council members saw as a lack of transparency and courtesy in the Fenty administration. During Gray's four years as chairman, the Council also continued a shift of focus from civil rights and social safety-net issues to a broader progressive agenda incorporating environmental efforts, the launch of a needle- exchange program and the approval of medical marijuana.

Council members said Gray's steady leadership style was crucial in managing the District budget during the 2008-2009 economic downturn.

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