By Nikita Stewart
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, September 27, 2008; B01

The District's political powerbrokers -- including members of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's Green Team and lawyers led by a former council member -- are throwing their muscle behind little-known challengers trying to unseat two incumbents on the D.C. Council.

The moves, in support of Democrats-turned-independents Mark Long and Michael Brown, add new twists in a contest that first took a major turn when Republican incumbent Carol Schwartz lost her Sept. 9 primary race to eager newcomer Patrick Mara.

This week's jockeying continues to show that there is no clear winner for Schwartz's seat, which must go to a non-Democrat. Most observers say it's clear that longtime incumbent Schwartz remains a threat as a write-in for the general election in November.

The political arm of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington sponsored a poll last week, showing that Schwartz's approval rating is higher than any other candidate in the contest. Sixty-four percent of the 595 likely voters polled had a "favorable opinion" of Schwartz, who was also the most well-known among all candidates, including popular council member Kwame R. Brown (D-At Large).

The seats held by Brown and Schwartz are up for grabs. Voters will be allowed to pick two candidates. In the Democrat-dominated city, challengers have focused on the seat held by Schwartz. Kwame Brown has the advantage of the party, and his popularity dissuaded potential challengers from entering the primary.

City law requires that one of the at-large seats go to a non-Democrat, so that the race essentially has shaped up as a contest between the five other candidates on the ballot and Schwartz.

The candidates have just shy of six weeks to reach voters, who according to the poll, are most concerned about improving public education, the economy and creating jobs. The poll of likely November voters was conducted by phone Sept. 18 through 20.

DC Legal PAC, the political action committee of the trial lawyers, said it did not sponsor the poll on behalf of any one candidate and is not going to make an endorsement, said former council member William Lightfoot, a member of the PAC's board of directors.

But he said "many prominent attorneys will support him [Michael Brown] because of this poll. . . . Michael Brown certainly can win the election."

Michael Brown, a lobbyist, dropped out of the 2006 mayoral race and lost a 2007 special election for the council's Ward 4 seat. But his name is familiar to the public.

The relatively little-known Long, an education consultant and Ward 7 resident, has recently gone on a sign blitz, blanketing downtown. Observers have been abuzz about Fenty supporters moving into his camp.

Ben Soto, Fenty's friend and campaign treasurer, said, "We're childhood friends."

Long has asked him to be the chairman of his campaign, but Soto said he is awaiting word from the mayor. "I don't want to send mixed messages," Soto said, explaining that his chairmanship could be perceived as an endorsement by Fenty.

He said he did not know whether Fenty would endorse a candidate. Fenty did not return a request for comment sent through his spokeswoman Mafara Hobson. Long could not be reached.

Meanwhile, the business community appears to remain solidly behind Mara, the government relations manager who beat Schwartz in the primary with the help of campaign contributions from business interests.

Council member David A. Catania (I-At Large) and former Maryland lieutenant governor Michael S. Steele (R) hosted a $100-a-ticket fundraiser for Mara attended by a who's who of developers and business owners.

The fundraiser also served as an assurance to the D.C. Republican Committee, which had feared those business interests would abandon Mara in the general election.

The race is rounded out by Statehood Green member David Schwartzman and independent Dee Hunter.

Schwartz, who has been popular among Democrats, said her write-in campaign will require her to have workers at the polls with pencils ready for voters.

It's a burdensome effort that her opponents are hoping she can't pull off. But Schwartz appeared confident yesterday. "I feel a lot of enthusiasm out in the community," she said. "We'll know Nov. 4 whether that's real or not."