Ward 3 D.C. Council race tightens as Matt Frumin gains momentum

The crowded Ward 3 D.C. Council race is shaping as much as be a slugfest between candidates Matt Frumin and Eric Goulet one week from Election Day.

Driving the information: Palisades neighborhood chief Tricia Duncan dropped out of the race late Monday. She endorsed Frumin, a progressive favourite and public faculties advocate, calling it a two means race between him and Goulet, a D.C. authorities price range knowledgeable.

• Duncan advised Axios she believes Frumin has the perfect shot at defeating Goulet, seen as a extra average Democrat. Duncan blasted the inflow of marketing campaign spending in favor of Goulet coming from outdoors teams, specifically from the marketing campaign arm of D.C. Democrats for Schooling Reform, which helps charter-friendly candidates.
• Frumin on Monday additionally gained the coveted endorsement of Legal professional Normal Karl Racine, who lives within the Ward 3 neighborhood of Palisades.
• Outgoing Ward 3 Council member Mary Cheh, who beforehand stated she would vote for Duncan, announced she now helps Frumin.

What they’re saying: Frumin “is deeply rooted locally and has labored, typically quietly and with out fanfare, on many W3 points resembling reasonably priced housing and faculty reform,” Cheh stated in a press release launched by Frumin.

The massive image: The subsequent council member for the prosperous ward might want to deal with pupil overcrowding at extremely sought-after public faculties, a scarcity of reasonably priced housing and increasing transit and bicycle entry.

• The ward stretches from quiet Foxhall Village to the busy Connecticut Avenue hall — constituencies starting from two school campuses to senior facilities and the District’s richest ZIP codes.

Between the strains: Extra motion is predicted within the race. In an interview, Duncan known as on one other candidate, Ben Bergmann, to drop out and in addition endorse Frumin. (Bergmann had hinted on Twitter he may do exactly that.)

• For his half, Goulet on Twitter congratulated Duncan on a “well-run race.” He didn’t return a request from Axios in search of remark.