A Soapbox on Wheels

Riders on the S2 bus driven by Sidney Davis, a supporter of mayoral candidate Vincent B. Orange Sr., get a message on voting. (By Michael Robinson Chavez -- The Washington Post)

The man looked puzzled.

"If you're undecided, you might want to try some vitamin C," he said as he handed over a card promoting Orange .

"Oh, Vincent Orange?" asked Geoffrey Gibson, as he climbed aboard the S2 near Military Road. "That's who my mother's pushing."

Davis became involved in this year's election at the urging of Orange supporter Al-Malik Farrakhan, a leader of the anti-violence group Cease Fire . . . Don't Smoke the Brothers Inc.

"I know Sidney's work and Sidney's passion for change," Farrakhan said. "I had to seek him out."

Davis's talents as an organizer are well known, particularly in the city's ex-offender community. During the 21 years he served at Lorton prison for first-degree murder, a crime Davis said he didn't commit, he said he experienced a spiritual transformation and became a leader among inmates. Through a friendship with Joe Wheeler, a local businessman who tried at one time to bring Major League Baseball back to the District, Davis created a program that introduced the Special Olympics behind the prison gate.

He also used the time to earn his general equivalency diploma and bachelor's degree in urban planning from the University of the District of Columbia.

Orange, who hesitated to say much when first approached by a reporter, later said he was happy to have Davis's support. "He served his time, and now he's making a contribution to society. He provides hope for ex-offenders that they can do the same thing," Orange said.

Davis said few riders object to his distributing literature, but Metro officials said it is "inappropriate." "If he was strictly having a conversation, then he would be okay," said Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel, but handing out brochures and leaving his seat to discuss the race is improper.

Davis said he's unaware of a written Metro policy that he is violating.

He just wants riders to be as well informed as he was when he chose his candidate for mayor. He said that he met Cropp, Fenty and Johns but that Orange's personal story of overcoming poverty and his emphasis on education, economic development and employment won him over.

"The three Es and a H," Davis said, adding health care.

Davis said he won't abandon support for his candidate even though Orange is in single digits, according to several polls.

Riders, for the most part, said they appreciated Davis's unique campaign forum.

Keith Sandbloom, who hopped on at Lamont Street in Mount Pleasant, told Davis that he's "leaning toward Fenty." Sandbloom said that he liked Fenty's pragmatic style but that he welcomed any substantive discussion about the election. "It's kind of a challenge to get the information you need to make a good decision -- more challenging than I thought it would be," Sandbloom said as he took a seat near the front and perused Orange's literature.

At times during the ride, Davis moved his right hand in a circular motion, a signal that he was "stirring it up."

"It's all about awareness," Davis said. "Now that they've been made aware, they can make a decent decision."

Davis is a regular at campaign forums, where he sometimes ends up after his evening routes. At a forum in Takoma Park on Tuesday night, Davis was happy to spot a convert who had gotten involved: a fellow driver he had been talking with about the mayor's race.

"I came here tonight so I could learn for myself," said Jerel Lucas, who often drives the 70 route on Georgia Avenue.