Ward 5 Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie joined the stampede to get on board Team Karl Racine today, telling supporters in an email to back the leading attorney general candidate. It’s not quite Bill Clinton levels, but it might be even more valuable for Racine. (Clinton, of course, isn’t actually voting in the local election.)

In his email, available in full below, McDuffie describes Racine as someone who’s “ready to hit the ground running” while still making time to visit District residents.

McDuffie’s endorsement might surprise would-be reformers who have counted McDuffie as one of their most reliable allies. Racine, on that other hand, has taken donations from lobbyists like John Ray and David Wilmot and looks to be the Wilson Building establishment’s pick for attorney general.

McDuffie, set to cruise to an easy re-election himself next month, has been making a lot of endorsements lately. It’s almost like he has political ambitions of his own.

Read McDuffie’s full release below:

Dear Will,
Today, I am endorsing Karl Racine for Attorney General of the District of Columbia.

In this election, we need someone who is ready to hit the ground running, and Karl Racine’s experience as a Public Defender, in the White House for President Clinton, and as the first African-American Managing Partner of a Top-100 law firm is beyond compare.

As Attorney General, I know that Karl Racine will enforce affordable housing requirements, and he will support new pilot programs for the District and Ward 5. Most importantly, I believe that he will make visiting us in our neighborhoods and homes a priority.

Through Election Day, I will be working to elect Karl Racine as our first independent Attorney General. I hope you will join me as well.

Thank you.

Kenyan

Photo by Darrow Montgomery