D.C. mayoral challenger Alexander says fixing families is key

Associated Press Mayoral candidate Leo Alexander says he's campaigning on behalf of voters struggling to restore the roots of the District. He says anti-poverty programs endorsed by liberals and progressives have hurt, not helped, blacks.

By Deborah Simmons

The Washington Times

6:33 p.m., Sunday, July 18, 2010

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Question of the Day

Do you think President Obama's $50 billion transit proposal will help the Democrats' midterm election chances?

This is the first in a series of one-on-one conversations with 2010 D.C. candidates who are running against incumbents.

Leo Alexander has a message for voters who aren't holding up their end of the civil rights bargain.

"End generational poverty."

He also has a solution.

"Fix broken families."

He has a tough political row to hoe, too.

Mr. Alexander, a Democrat who is maintaining a distant third place in the primary race for D.C. mayor, has a shallow war chest, few endorsements of consequence and a position on some social issues that's more akin to Stop ERA crusader Phyllis Schlafly than those of his liberal rivals.

He is the only candidate in any D.C. race to be endorsed by Mrs. Schlafly's Eagle Forum, and he had only $701 in campaign funds during the June reporting period. He has been called a spoiler in what otherwise would be a two-way race, but don't talk to Mr. Alexander about stepping aside prior to the Sept. 14 primary.

A former TV reporter and D.C. government spokesman, Mr. Alexander, 46, said he's in the race for the long haul on behalf of voters struggling to restore the roots of the city.

He talks about the sights and sounds of communities that he has covered over the years. The ravages of crack. The Washington Times reporter who was assaulted by a charter-school principal. Nightly violence. City Hall scandals. Bleak neighborhoods with no hope of change. The overcrowded emergency rooms at D.C. General Hospital, where he served as spokesman. Families he interviewed for news stories that had been crammed into public housing for two or three generations.

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About the Author

Deborah Simmons

Award-winning opinion writer Deborah Simmons is a senior correspondent who reports on City Hall and writes about education, culture, sports and family-related topics. Mrs. Simmons has worked at several newspapers, and since joining The Washington Times in 1985, has served as editorial-page editor and features editor and on the metro desk. She has taught copy editing at the University of ...

Comments

rangerrebew says:

1 month, 2 weeks ago

Mark as offensive

Apparently Mr. Alexander doesn't agree with Ali Bama who doesn't believe in the value of the family; who believes, like Lenin, the family must be destroyed for the state to control the children. Why else would he do away with the Defense of Marriage Act? Hats off to Alexander!!

myvotecounts says:

1 month, 2 weeks ago

Mark as offensive

This reporter should be commended for this article. The Washington Times is the only media outlet in town that is reporting about the mayoral campaigns instead of running advertisement articles for the ones favored.

There should be subsequent articles though that reflect more seriousness about Leo Alexander's candidacy. When the media considers one a serious candidate, it directs the attention of the voter to the financial impact of the candidate's platform and visions. When it doesn't the article is more emotional.

Mr. Alexander is a serious candidate with well thought out plans and how it will financially impact out current and future budgets. Check out his website www.leoalexanderformayor.com. . What will be the financial impact on the taxpayers to end generational poverty? What social programs started in the 90s (under Gray as director of DHS) that have negatively impacted the budget costing billions of dollars annually will be eliminated, revised, enhanced or restructured to accomplish the goal of ending "generational poverty?"

How will this new concept effect the educational system? How will it make people who are able to work, train, improve life skills, go out and look for a job who are accustomed to sitting home paying $50 a month rent ? How will it affect people who have been pimpin' the system for the last 10 years to pay their utility bills when some of them spent money on drugs?

Mr. Alexander is the only candidate who wants to bring pride back into the Black community. He wants to put our people back to work. No more handouts for votes. Most people, especially those of other races, have written us off. White liberals and progressives are more concerned about the employment of Central Americans in the US than they are Black Americans. Our chairman's answer to Arizona's illegal immigration problem was "let them (illegals) move to DC." He's an idiot! The mayor has allowed tens of thousands to seek refuge here and take blue collar jobs from Washingtonians.

Mr. Alexander is the best candidate for mayor with a clear vision to end things that have negatively affected current and future generations of Black people.

myvotecounts says:

1 month, 2 weeks ago

Mark as offensive

Someone dares to attack Mr.Alexander's character when we have two front runners known for allegedly "beating their wives." Are you crazy? Do you honestly think because one wife is silent and the other deceased that we will allow these candidates to get away with this?

Another so-called front runner who is falling in the polls also has a history of allegedly "cruising" young boys who should be in their 20s or 30s now. We want these victims to come forward before the Primary. Let's see who has integrity and character!

Mr. Alexander is in this race to the finish. Get over it!

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