Anita Bonds, chairperson of the D.C. Democratic State Committee, has been selected as an interim D.C. Council member by 55 of the 71 voting members of the D.C. Democratic State Committee (DSC). She was chosen on Monday, Dec. 10 during a special meeting held at Catholic University in Northeast, which was attended by about 200 people.
Bonds, 67, a longtime political operative, is a former Ward 5 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC). She has worked for former D.C. Council member Kwame Brown, Ward 8 Council member Marion Barry during both his mayoral campaigns and administrations, and for former D.C. mayor Sharon Pratt Kelly.
"I am a little overwhelmed," Bonds said of her landslide win. "I want to thank the members of the Democratic Committee who voted, and I want to thank all of the members of the audience who showed up to watch this process."
Bonds fills the seat vacated by Phil Mendelson when he took over as D.C. Council Chairman. A special election to fill Bonds' new post permanently will be held on April 23 of next year.
Bonds, who plans to run in the special election, defeated Ward 4 ANC Douglass Sloan, who received seven votes and John Capozzi, a former D.C. shadow representative who garnered six votes.
Romaine Thomas, wife of the late Ward 5 D.C. Council member Harry Thomas Sr. and mother of former Ward 5 D.C. Council member Harry Thomas Jr., said Bonds will be an outstanding member of the Council.
"I have known her a long time and I know her well," Thomas, of Northeast, said. "She will follow the principles of the Democratic Party and its process."
Barry added that the DSC "made a wise choice" in selecting Bonds.
"Anita Bonds is a kind-hearted person who cares about the least among us," Barry said.
Click here to see photo gallery from the appointment process. Photos by Shevry Lassiter