Muriel Bowser brought another national figure into the mayoral race today, making a campaign appearance with Democratic National Committee chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz a day after Barack Obama endorsed her bid.
When high-ranking Democratic Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin backed David Catania over Bowser, the Bowser campaign’s only comment was a six-month old statement from Wasserman Schultz praising Bowser. The DNC chairwoman made a more concrete contribution today, making a handful of phone-bank calls on women’s issues at Bowser’s Anacostia campaign office.
After Wasserman Schultz got off a call with a confirmed Bowser voter, Bowser high-fived the DNC chairwoman.
“That’s a gold star!” Bowser said.
Wasserman Schultz denied that her work for Bowser suggests that the DNC is worried about the Democratic nominee’s chances.
“Not that she needs it,” Wasserman Schultz said. “But a little girl power and a little sisterhood never hurt anybody.”
Catania campaign manager Ben Young says Wasserman Schultz’s appearance on Bowser’s behalf, even as Democrats face nearly a dozen competitive races for control of the Senate, is a sign that Bowser’s campaign knows she’s flagging in the polls. A poll last week with demographics favorable to Catania put the race within eight percentage points.
“To me, it’s ‘What are you doing?'” Young says. “She should be in Louisville.”
Photo by Will Sommer