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After months of speculation, Ward 7 Councilmember Vince Gray has made his choice for a successor: Wendell Felder. 

Gray announced Friday that he was backing Felder in the wild 10-candidate primary, saying in a statement that Felder’s “leadership, experience, and unwavering dedication make him the ideal candidate to represent our community’s interests.” 

Though there are a few weeks left in the race, Gray’s blessing could easily seal the deal for Felder, the former chair of the Ward 7 Democrats, a longtime advisory neighborhood commissioner, and a veteran of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s administration. He was already broadly seen as a top contender, but the size of the field combined with Gray’s continued good standing in the ward could make this move a decisive one.

“I have complete confidence that Wendell will be ready on day one,” Gray said in the statement. “He has a proven record of achievements and knows how to turn good ideas into successful accomplishments.”

Most Ward 7 politicos told Loose Lips that Felder was among the most likely contenders for an endorsement from Gray, though State Board of Education Rep. Eboni-Rose Thompson was also seen as a contender. As the weeks wore on, some began to speculate that Gray, who declined to seek reelection as he faces a series of health challenges, would choose to sit on the sidelines. (In a very odd bit of timing, Council Chair Phil Mendelson tweeted Friday morning that he’d heard Gray “has had another health setback in recent days” and wished him a “speedy recovery.” Gray, who has feuded with Mendelson over his health issues, replied that he’d experienced that setback three weeks ago “and have had no subsequent issues.”)

Conversely, that Gray would ultimately anoint Felder, Bowser’s preferred candidate in the race, is yet another sign of the recent detente between the onetime bitter mayoral rivals.

Interestingly, Gray confessed some reservations about backing Felder in an email exchange with the Washington Post. Felder generated quite a bit of controversy with his response to a candidate questionnaire from the ACLU’s D.C. chapter, arguing that he would urge Congress to overturn a locally passed law if it “diminishes the quality of life experienced by residents or poses an undue burden or threat.” Opponents slammed this as a stance that would undermine D.C.’s autonomy, and Gray told the Post that the response “shocked” him.

But Felder backed away from the position in the face of the controversy, and made a point of vocally opposing the recent Republican-backed bill in Congress to limit D.C.’s authority to set criminal penalties, assuaging Gray’s concerns. “It was a misstep in our campaign, and we got it wrong,” Felder told the Post. “I’ll do everything humanly possible to make sure that I continue to advocate for statehood and protect home rule.”

That’s not to say the race is over, of course. Kingman Park Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Ebony Payne has plenty of money to fuel her bid, while attorney Veda Rasheed has the backing of the deep-pocketed Democrats for Education Reform and Thompson has the organizing muscle of the Washington Teachers’ Union behind her. 

Others in the race, such as ANC Kelvin Brown or ex-shadow representative Nate Fleming, have repeatedly claimed to LL that their own campaigns are surging. Without much polling in the race, there’s still no way of knowing what June 4 will bring.

—Alex Koma (tips? akoma@washingtoncitypaper.com)

• A new poll finds that 77 percent of regular and occasional Metro riders rate the public transit system as “excellent” or “good”—up 2 percent from last year, its the highest ratings Metro has received in the past decade. But more than a third of riders are still worried about crime on the trains. [Post]
• No one’s surprised that Black parents in D.C. helped desegregate city schools 70 years ago, but the story of how they did it is fascinating. [Post, Informer]
• Anacostia’s newly opened Safe Commercial Corridor Hub is already connecting neighborhood residents with services. Wendy Glenn, the city’s first ward manager, is helping make those connections. [WTOP]
• Saturday marks the return of D.C.’s annual Trans Pride celebration, which runs all day at the MLK Library. A resource fair, workshops, and lunch are just some of the day’s offerings. [MetroWeekly]

By City Paper Staff (tips? editor@washingtoncitypaper.com)

• Florida Rep. Byron Donalds benefited from a judge’s leniency when he was arrested on drug charges as a young man. The legislation he just steered through the House would bar D.C. judges from exercising the same sort of discretion that changed his life. [Post]
• Rodney “Red” Grant, a popular comedian and former mayoral candidate, is challenging At-Large Councilmember Robert White, claiming White hasn’t taken accountability for “the damage he caused to the city.” White counters that the difference between the two is that he’s “not using my community for Instagram likes.” [Informer]
• The District worked with the National Park Service to clear dozens of people from encampments around Foggy Bottom Thursday. Officials insist that they’re working to connect people with housing, but many question whether these clearings are really the most effective way to make that happen at a time when the city’s homeless services are seeing budget cuts. [Post, WTOP]

By Alex Koma (tips? akoma@washingtoncitypaper.com)

• This one’s for the sweet treat enthusiasts. D.C.’s Underground Donut Tour dishes out a mile and a half of sugary goodness and obscure local history as you stroll from donut to donut. [WTOP] 
• Uber Eats has teamed up with Costco. The new service from Uber will deliver most Costco goods (alcohol being one notable exception) to your door and doesn’t require a membership. [Axios]
• Husband and wife duo Rajiv and Shivani Chopra bring unorthodox small plates and luxurious cocktails to Columbia Heights with Tamashaa. Meaning “performance” or “spectacle” in Hindi, Tamashaa features vibrant, Bollywood-inspired decor and inventive dishes such as crispy okra chaat and lamb vada pao sliders. [Washingtonian] 
• Another sign that Pride Month is almost here? DC Brau has revealed its seventh annual Pride Pils can. [Blade]