Five Democrats Pull Out of D.C. Primary
Friday, November 07, 2003
WASHINGTON — Five Democrats have withdrawn from the District of Columbia's non-binding presidential primary, the D.C. Board of Elections (search) said Friday.
Joe Lieberman, John Edwards, John Kerry, Dick Gephardt and Wesley Clark each delivered letters on Thursday stating their intention to withdraw from the Jan. 13 contest, Board of Elections spokesman Bill O'Field said.
The Democratic National Committee (search) does not recognize the primary because delegates will not be selected. The district will hold caucuses Feb. 14 to choose its delegates.
"It's a gutless move," said D.C. Councilman Jack Evans, the author of the legislation moving up the district's primary. "I hope none of them ever wins anything."
All cited Democratic Party rules prohibiting primaries before the traditional first votes in Iowa and New Hampshire, Evans said. But he insisted that city officials had worked with the Democratic National Committee to ensure that the primary complied with all party rules.
Evans said the move was especially offensive because Kerry, Gephardt and Lieberman all own homes in the Georgetown neighborhood.
"I find it disappointing that three actual residents would disrespect their home town and disrespect a majority African-American jurisdiction."
The election was moved from its traditional spot later in the primary season to call attention to the city's lack of voting rights (search) in Congress. The city has one nonvoting delegate in the House and no representation in the Senate. The vote was also considered a key test of support among black voters.
Tony Bullock, a spokesman for Mayor Anthony A. Williams, called it a slap in the face for the city.
"We have been royally dissed by these five candidates," said Bullock.
Although most of the 11 Democrats on the 13-member D.C. Council have endorsed Democratic front-runner Howard Dean, Williams has remained uncommitted. |
