Supporters Urge Mayor to 'RunTonyRun'

Young D.C. Professionals Launch Web Site to Nudge Williams

When the group of D.C. twenty-somethings talked about getting involved in this year's mayoral race, they didn't reach for their checkbooks, volunteer to stuff envelopes at party headquarters or engage in any of the traditional outlets for political energy.

Instead, the debate was over whether they should start a Web site or blog.

"The easiest thing was a Web site," said Jane Hamilton, 27. "It just seemed the natural thing to do."

The result is http://RunTonyRun.com , devoted to prodding the city's mayor, Anthony A. Williams (D), to run again. Williams has been coy about his decision for months.

Like almost every other facet of life, the Internet is changing politics, even on the local level, where blogs and community list servs are challenging the traditional system of precinct captains and telephone trees.

The political power of the online world was evident during Howard Dean's presidential campaign, said Wanda Lockridge, chairman of the D.C. Democratic State Committee.

But politics is still about people, she said.

"I don't think that you just eliminate grass-roots door-knocking," Lockridge said. "You need the personal touch."

No one with RunTonyRun disagreed.

"Let's hope we get a chance to knock on doors or hand out fliers," said Jess Fassler, 27, a Hill staffer who lives in Northeast. He said the Web was the only way -- or the only really cheap way -- for the group to reach a mass audience.

Right now, its members' objective is to get as many city residents as possible to persuade Williams to run again.

"We have a target audience of one," said Tracy Hammond, 29, another member of the group, who works for a lobbying company and lives in Adams Morgan.