Bells for Carol

David Weigel | September 9, 2008

My adopted hometown of Washington, D.C., is trembling from a minor political earthquake: the defeat of iconic city council member Carol Schwartz. First elected in 1984 to D.C.'s lone Republican seat*, a near-miss candidate for mayor in 1994 (defeated by comeback kid Marion Barry), and the bulwark against the city's smoking ban, Schwartz has been ousted by 32-year old newcomer Patrick Mara, about whom the only thing I know is that he wants more bike lines.

*Mega-Democratic D.C. has an at-large seat that always goes to a Republican, in order to balance out the all-Democratic council.