Openly gay D.C. Council candidate earns Working Families Party endorsement
Anthony Lorenzo Green is challenging Councilmember Vince Gray for the Ward 7 Democratic Party nomination
Anthony Lorenzo Green, an openly gay man seeking the Ward 7 seat on the D.C. Council in 2020, has earned the endorsement of the Working Families Party for this year’s election.
Green currently serves as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner in Ward 7, which covers the far Northeast and Southeast D.C. He is one of six people challenging incumbent Councilmember Vince Gray (D), a former mayor elected to the Ward 7 seat in 2016, two years after he was ousted by Muriel Bowser in the mayoral primary.
Green, 34, is running on a progressive platform focused on issues like bringing more grocery stores and food co-ops to the ward, bringing more affordable housing, expanding rent control, and greater police accountability. Many of Green’s criticisms of politics echo those of other progressives in the District, who, in recent years, have argued that District lawmakers have become too friendly to corporations or pro-business interests at the expense of working people.
“It is my honor to accept the Working Families Party endorsement in the race to be the next Ward 7 Councilmember,” Green said in a statement. “We’re going to tackle the issues that keep all of us up at night, whether it’s how to pay our bills, where to access healthcare services, ensuring our children have a good quality education, and how we keep our communities safe. We are facing a crisis, not from a lack of resources but from a lack of political will. This is our collective fight and we will win together!”
No non-Democrats have filed to run in the Ward 7 general election on Nov. 3, meaning that whoever wins the June 2 primary will likely be seated when the Council reconvenes for its new session in January 2021.
As part of its endorsement, the Working Families Party promises to martial its resources to help Green canvass as he attempts to reach voters in advance of the primary. The party has recently enjoyed a spate of victories in local elections across America, including helping Philadelphia City Council member Kendra Brooks become the first third-party candidate elected to the city council in 100 years, getting Jumaane Williams, a longtime tenant organizer and progressive activist, elected as Public Advocate in New York City, and backing several progressive challengers who successfully ran for seats on the Chicago City Council.
WFP has also endorsed Jordan Grossman in Ward 2 for the seat recently vacated by Councilmember Jack Evans (who recently announced he will run again) and Janeese Lewis George against Councilmember Brandon Todd in Ward 4.
Green will also benefit from public financing, as he’s already qualified for Fair Elections, D.C.’s public financing program, which provides matching funds for qualified small-dollar contributions.
“Anthony Lorenzo Green is a proven champion of progressive values and we’re excited to endorse him in the Ward 7 Democratic Primary,” Mat Hanson, the D.C. Working Families Party Director, said in a statement. “He is running a grassroots, people-powered campaign and isn’t afraid to stake out unapologetic and bold positions to confront the challenges facing our city. This is exactly what we need to build a government that works for everyone.”
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