Muriel Bowser

Former Mayor Vincent Gray Enters Race for Ward 7 Council Seat

Former D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray has entered the race for a seat on D.C. Council. 

Gray announced his plans Thursday to run for the Ward 7 seat.

Gray lost his chances for a second term as mayor when Muriel Bowser defeated him in the Democratic primary. He lost in part due to a long-running federal probe into a shadow campaign scandal that helped elect Gray mayor in 2010. In December, prosecutors ended that probe without charging Gray.

"When people ask why I am returning to the campaign trail, I tell them, 'Because we have a lot of work to do. If we don't do it, who will?'," Gray said Thursday. 

Gray previously served on the Council, representing Ward 7 and as Council chairman before he was elected mayor.

Gray had been publicly eyeing the At-Large seat held by Democrat Vincent Orange and his old Ward 7 seat, now held by Yvette Alexander. A professional poll paid for by Gray supporters last month showed Gray is popular in his home of Ward 7, leading Alexander 48 percent to 32 percent.

Asked if a Ward 7 campaign was just a warm-up to running for mayor in 2018, Gray said no.

"There's no way I would do this as some way to seek retribution," he said. "There's too much work to be done in this city."

The Democratic primary will be held on June 14. Gray will file paperwork in the next few days. 

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