Political observers, including LGBTQ activists, are split as to which of the four candidates will fill Ward’s vacant DC Council seats in the July 15 special election, like most, if not all, of the 8th district’s LGBTQ voters, like most, if not all, of the first district’s special election.
Each of the four candidates, all candidates, and Democrats, including banished House 8 member Treyon White, have run to recapture his seat, but have expressed support for LGBTQ-related issues.
The special election was called earlier this year after the DC Council voted unanimously to banish white people after the FBI’s charges and arrests on federal bribery charges in August 2024.
He pleads not guilty to the charges and under the DC Act he can legally run for and reclaim his council seat until he is convicted of the charges. His trial is scheduled to begin in January 2026.
Three candidates to challenge White — Sheila Van, Mike Austin and Salim Adfo — are longtime Regional 8 supporters who have been involved in local government issues for many years, and are supportive of LGBTQ rights, according to LGBTQ activists.
White also has a record of supporting LGBTQ issues while serving on the council since 2017. Following his indictment, he won reelection in the November 2024 general election against Republican opponents by a large margin.
Political observers say White’s indictment on bribery charges is likely to alienate some of his past supporters, but they say he’s gaining popularity in the ward, with three candidates splitting the opposition votes and he can win the election with less than 50% of the split votes.
Two candidates, Bunn and Adofo, responded to a Washington Blade request sent to each of the four candidates for a statement summarizing their positions on LGBTQ-related issues. In their respective statements, Bunn and Adofo expressed strong support for a wide range of LGBTQ issues.
“In my nearly 30 years of public service, I have consistently supported rights and worked to improve the quality of life of the LGBTQIA+ community,” Bunn said in a statement. She said much of her work on behalf of LGBTQ rights happened when she served as Chief of Staff for DC Council Delegation Eleanor Holmes Norton and senior staff for former DC Mayor Vincent Gray.
In an Adfo statement, Adfo said it advocated a wide range of LGBTQ issues, including housing programs for homeless LGBTQ youth and aid employment training programs for transgender residents.
“At the heart of our platform is our unwavering commitment to uplifting the LGBTQ+ community, ensuring that policies are shaped not only for them but with them,” his statement says. Adfo’s position in supporting LGBTQ rights is also featured on his campaign website.
GLAA DC, previously known as a gay and lesbian activist in Washington, announced the ratings of three of the four candidates on June 22. The group rates +10 candidates at +10 on a scale of -10, the lowest possible rating.
I assigned a +7.5 rating for Bunn, +6.5 in Austin, and +4.5 for Adfo. In a statement accompanying the assessment, the GLAA stated that each of the three has a record of support for LGBTQ issues, but lost rating points because it does not support non-LGBTQ-related issues deemed important by the GLAA.
The GLAA said it would not issue a White rating based on its policy not to rate candidates who have been excluded from office or resignation due to allegations of ethics violations.
The capital, Stonewall Democrats, DC’s largest local LGBTQ political group, have chosen not to grant approval in the special elections in the 8th District.
“This is a special election and I decided not to stand in these unfamiliar times, so I thought this was the best,” Howard Garrett, the group’s president, told Blade.
Ward 8 gay democratic activist Phil Panel supports Adfo, he told Blade that he has strong support for Adfo on LGBTQ issues and his role as the sole candidate for the initiative to call DC players and open primers passed by DC voters in November 2024. A lawsuit challenging the initiative filed by the D.C. Democrats delayed its implementation.
David Meadows, another longtime gay democratic activist in Ward 8, is supporting the van. Meadows cites Bunn’s support for LGBTQ rights and her position on other issues he supports as reasons for supporting her candidacy.
The DC Commission’s website shows that the board mailed out special election votes to all registered voters in District 8. The website shows that as of July 7, 2,483 voters either sent back their ballots by mail or put them in drop boxes across the ward.
Early voting at some polling stations is expected to start on July 11th, the website says at locations at all polling stations across the ward before official election day on July 15th.
Salim Adofo’s statement on LGBTQ issues:
Our campaign is rooted in the belief that everyone deserves to live with dignity, security and opportunity. We are committed to building safer, healthier, and equitable districts for everyone who hears and every community is empowered. At the heart of our platform is our unwavering commitment to uplifting the LGBTQ+ community, ensuring that policies with them, not just for them, are shaped. We recognize that the fight for equity is interconnected and prioritize actions in the areas that most deeply affect the daily lives of our residents. As [a] Council member, I advocate for healthcare for all, raise funds for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD, and TB Management (HAHSTA) programs, and address disparities in health outcomes.
•Expand access to care by exempting digital-only telehealth services from the Certificate of Needs (CON) process and increasing funding through the Ministry of Behavioral Health (DBH).
•Build a culturally competent workforce by removing licensing barriers and expanding the pipeline of LGBTQ+ mental health providers.
• Employment and Economic Equity: Maintain workforce development efforts such as Project Leap, successful investments in economic empowerment of TGD residents.
• Promote public-private partnerships by requiring DC HR to work with trade unions and local employers to host Transafigling employment fairs.
•Based on community-driven training by supporting programs developed by TGD organizations modeled on California’s Transgender Economic Empowerment Initiative.
•Housing with Dignity: All LGBTQ+ residents deserve stable, positive, permanent housing. End young homelessness with a community-centric strategic plan focused on expanding permanent housing and wrap-around services.
• Support inclusive housing by continuing funding for LGBTQ+ housing vouchers and senior housing initiatives.
•Safety and Community Support: Create a safe shelter by investing $2 million in a 20-bed LGBTQIA2S+ shelter for survivors of intimate partner violence and sexual assault.
•Strengthen community organizations with capacity-free construction support and streamlined access to LGBTQ+ organization CBOs’ DC grants.
Sheila Ban’s statement on LGBTQ issues:
In my nearly 30 years of public service, I have consistently worked to support rights and improve the quality of life in the LGBTQIA+ community.
As Chief of Staff for Councillor Eleanor Holmes Norton, I worked to prevent Congress from overturning the Marriage Equality Bill of 2009 and to remove Congress riders from the district budget that banned locally raised funds for needle exchange programs that were pivoted in HIV/AIDS Prevention.
As part of a senior staff member of Mayor Vincent C. Gray, I helped launch the district’s Transgender Employment Initiative under the Project Empowerment Program, increasing training and employment opportunities for transgender residents. He also hired members of the transgender cohort at the mayor’s Office of Community Affairs after his tenure and demonstrated his commitment to the program. It promoted efforts to end health insurance discrimination based on gender identity with DISB’s 2013 breaking news, ensuring coverage for services such as mastectomy and hormone replacement therapy. Additionally, Mayor Gray coordinated Mayor Gray’s first LGBTQIA+ Youth Hall to address LGBTQIA+ Youth concerns and participated in cultural competency training to better support the district’s important LGBTQIA+ population.
Currently, I am a member of the capital Stonewall Democrats, and am actively involved in Pride events and support the causes of LGBTQIA+. Through direct outreach to organizations serving the LGBTQIA+ community, I aim to effectively understand and represent their issues. We look forward to working with GLAA, Capital Stonewall Democrats and other alliances to shape laws and policies that benefit LGBTQIA+ residents and all district residents.
Source: Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News – www.washingtonblade.com
