There was a time in when my life revolved around the politics of the DC Council. I once worked with national organizations, local committees, concerned citizens, and an amazing team of co-workers toward the important end of electing Republicans to the Council.

Yesterday, there was a special election in the District that saw a Republican do better than nearly ever before. Sadly, my friend did not win, but he did an outstanding job in a truly grassroots race and came in second citywide with 26% of the vote. Yay, Pat! He’ll now undoubtedly continue his work on the District’s Board of Education, continue to support the communities we love through his work as a local business owner, and hopefully run again someday. I think the local site DCist.com put it best:

Despite Mara’s loss, his strong performance and position on the State Board of Education means that he’ll remain an important figure in years to come.