Thursday, Aug. 16, 2007
Mitchell, Edwardsstep up campaignsfor U.S. Congress
Upper Marlboro Realtor George Mitchell formally kicked off his campaign for U.S. Congress Saturday in Temple Hills, in an effort to elevate his profile in a race dominated by a long-time incumbent and a fiery challenger.
Mitchell is running against eight-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Albert Wynn (D-Dist. 4) of Mitchellville and Fort Washington attorney Donna Edwards, who came within three points of beating Wynn last year.
Wynn and Edwards have already held their kickoff events.
Mitchell said his event, outside his office in Temple Hills, attracted between 350 and 400 people.
‘‘We’re knocking on doors, we’re putting up posters, fliers, the whole nine yards,” he said.
He said he raised about $850 at the event. The sum may seem small, but it’s more than twice the $325 he reported having raised in his June 30 campaign finance report.
Wynn reported raising $461,372 in the last fundraising cycle, and Edwards reported raising $130,815.
Mitchell said he did not field any political endorsements at his event.
Edwards’ list of official supporters is also sparse, but she received the backing of Montgomery County Councilwoman Valerie Ervin at her June 30 kickoff in Upper Marlboro. District 4 spans Prince George’s and Montgomery counties.
Edwards also announced this week that she will be taking unpaid leave from her position as executive director of the Arca Foundation, which provides grants to nonprofits for research on campaign finance reform and other policy issues, so she can run against Wynn.
She was expected to celebrate the opening of her campaign office in Temple Hills on Aug. 15.
Jesse Jackson targetsDistrict Heights gun shop
The District Heights gun store singled out last month by a regional task force for being the No. 1 source of recovered weapons in the District has been chosen as the site of a gun violence protest Aug. 28.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson and his Rainbow PUSH Coalition, a national social justice organization, are planning a national day of protests against gun violence, and chose Realco Guns Inc. in District Heights as the Washington, D.C., location. Jackson has not yet decided which protest he will attend.
A gun trafficking task force announced last month that police traced 76 firearms recovered in the District last year to Realco, making it the top source of recovered weapons in the Washington, D.C. Police recovered 2,656 guns last year.
Rainbow PUSH D.C. office manager Steven Smith said the coalition chose Realco as the location for the protest because of its proximity to the District and because of its connection with recovered weapons.
He said District Mayor Adrian Fenty and County Executive Jack B. Johnson are expected to attend.
The protest starts at noon.
