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Dave Kranich Fighting The Fenty Juggernaut
The numbers say Nov. 7 doesn't look bright for the GOP's Dave Kranich, who wants to be mayor of D.C., a hugely Democratic jurisdiction.
(By Jahi Chikwendiu -- The Washington Post)
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He seems sincere when he says he can win against Fenty, a Goliath who won every precinct against well-funded council Chairman Linda W. Cropp in the Democratic primary last month. Kranich's campaign office is in a small rented space near the Farragut North Metro station, inside the Institute for Women's Policy Research.
Kranich has raised about $12,000, according to the most recent report available. Fenty has raised $3 million.
Does Kranich really think he can win?
"In all honesty, I do," he said after standing for a couple of hours at the Cleveland Park Metro station.
Unfortunately for him, some potential voters there thought Fenty had won or didn't think Kranich stood a chance.
"I don't even know who he is," said Michelle Richardson, 50, who lives in Ward 7. "I voted for Fenty."
Steven Kameny, a 32-year-old lawyer who recently moved from San Francisco, said: "I know theoretically Republicans exist in the District. . . . I know Fenty is a fait accompli."
Kranich uses an idealistic logic: There are 387,940 registered voters. Just 109,781 people voted in the primary last month. Fenty received 60,732 votes, or 57 percent of the Democratic vote. Kranich got 1,513 Republican votes, or 65 percent. So, he said, 200,000 votes are up for grabs to split between him, Fenty and Statehood Green Party candidate Chris Otten.
But with less than a month to go before the Nov. 7 election, it doesn't seem that Republicans will come out in droves for one of their own.
John Tobias, president of Log Cabin Republicans, which represents the gay GOP, introduced Kranich at a meeting one recent night as "kran-ich," just the way it looks.
It's kra-nik. "I always pronounce his name wrong," Tobias said.
Carol Schwartz (R-At Large) is the face of the local party as the only Republican on the D.C. Council and an unsuccessful four-time candidate for mayor. Even she's not supporting Kranich. She endorsed Cropp in the primary.
