ANC6B Hine Supporters Survive Election Challenge – Incumbent Critchfield Unseated
by Larry Janezich
According to the unofficial tally of votes in ANC6B, Commissioners Frishberg and Pate handily won re-election in races that turned on issues associated with the controversial Hine development. In another Hine-associated race, Philip Peisch defeated Hine critic Randy Steer in a bid to succeed retiring Hine supporter Norm Metzger.
It appears that at least Frishberg and Pate had the tacit support of Councilmember Tommy Wells, who had vowed to endorse whatever amenities and benefits ANC6B could wrest from the developer on behalf of the community. The two commissioners were the designated negotiators who brought the agreement to the ANC which passed it on a narrow 6-4 vote. Wells’ office did not respond to a query whether he endorsed any of the ANC candidates or if any candidate had requested his endorsement, although incumbent Oldenburg’s campaign signs – recycled from two years ago – still bore a sticker indicating Wells’ endorsement. Two years ago Wells’ went on record endorsing the re-election of the then current ANC, control of which was subsequently taken over by a slate of reformers, including Frishburg and Pate.
Changing demographics on Capitol Hill were a factor in both the Frishberg and Pate races, as both candidates drew support from voters with young families, a demographic those two candidates share. That factor was at play as well in the victory of challenger Nicole Opkins over Jared Critchfield in a three-way race that was otherwise noteworthy for the reported vandalism of Critchfield’s campaign signs and those of Opkins’ other opponent, Chris Harlow.
The effect of demographics was also reflected in the succession of young professionals to the seats of the three retiring commissioners, a manifestation of the changing Capitol Hill population as this class, attracted to the benefits of urban living, abandons suburban life and returns to the city. Below are the unofficial results from DC’s Office of Elections and Ethics. Unofficial election results do not include absentee and provisional ballots
ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B01
DAVE GARRISON 539 94.39%
WRITE-IN 32 5.604%
ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B02
IVAN FRISHBERG 542 61.66%
GERALD (JERRY) SROUFE 327 37.20%
WRITE-IN 10 1.137%
ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B03
PHILIP PEISCH 591 65.01%
RANDY STEER 306 33.66%
WRITE-IN 12 1.320%
ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B04
KIRSTEN OLDENBURG 629 88.21%
WRITE-IN 84 11.78%
ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B05
BRIAN PATE 567 56.64%
STEVE HOLTZMAN 427 42.65%
WRITE-IN 7 0.699%
ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B06
NICHOLE OPKINS 523 54.02%
JARED CRITCHFIELD 355 36.67%
CHRIS HARLOW 78 8.057%
WRITE-IN 12 1.239%
ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B07
SARA LOVELAND 611 95.46%
WRITE-IN 29 4.531%
ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B08
CHANDER JAYARAMAN 731 94.07%
WRITE-IN 46 5.920%
ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B09
BRIAN FLAHAVEN 935 97.59%
WRITE-IN 23 2.400%
ADVISORY NEIGHBORHOOD COMMISSIONER 6B10
FRANCIS M. CAMPBELL 825 96.26%
WRITE-IN 32 3.733%
Thanks so much for providing the results. You’re providing a great service to the neighborhood with your reporting.
wow i’m shocked. jared critchfield is easily the best commissioner on the ANC. by a lot.
sorry jared, and thank you so much for all of your hard work.
Sorry I’m not on top of the Hine stuff, but from context clues, it appears that Frishberg, Opkins, and Pate support Hine development, and their challengers do not. Is that correct?
@CZMH I don’t want to speak for the other candidates, but I believe certainly believe that the history of this case deserves a more thorough support / dont support description of the positions on Hine. It was the challengers to Phil Peisch, Brian Pate and myself who focussed on Hine as a defining issue in the election and probably it is fair to say that they were not happy with the work of the ANC on this issue.
My own position is covered on my web site: http://www.ivanforanc6b.com/
Emmcablog.org has a voter guide which asked a question of all the candidates on Hine (100 word limit). I am sure the other candidates have positions on their sites too.
Apparently “this reporter” missed Tommy Wells’ endorsements published in the October issue of the Hill Rag.
After reviewing the results in comparison with those of 2010, it would seem to me that Pate and Frishberg were validated by the same constituency that elected them two years ago while adding support from others. I would further interpret the results to mean that the LOUD voices heard during the Hine debate did not, necessarily, reflect the sentiment of the entire constituency.
But when the ‘whole consituency’ sees the result of not joining the ‘loud voices’ it will realize what a mistake it made!