DC from above. Image by the author.

Welcome to the inaugural installment of Greater Greater Washington's weekly Election Links! We'll be bringing you roundups of election news in DC, Maryland, and Virginia. Don't miss a post — sign up for our weekly newsletter, which will come out each week after we post this overview and give you the links and other election coverage from GGWash.

MoCo's Shnider makes the case for “sustainable growth”
Ben Shnider, a self-described progressive candidate for Montgomery County Council District 3, writes about the importance of mixed-use, transit-oriented development to enabling a more equitable, sustainable future. According to Shnider, failing to allow for more mixed-use development will doom the county more congestion and inequality. (Ben Shnider / Medium)

Shnider’s vision against Katz’s experience
Shnider's opponent, incumbent Sidney Katz, served for 16 years as Gaithersburg’s mayor and is in his first term on the County Council. Katz argues that his experience is badly needed at a time when Montgomery County will elect a new executive and will fill four empty Council seats. Katz also points to his record on establishing mental health courts. Shnider highlights his support for a $15 minimum wage, universal Pre-K, tuition-free community college, bus rapid transit, and improved MARC service. (Rachel Siegel / Post)

MoCo Sierra Club makes some endorsements
The Montgomery County Sierra Club endorsed council member Roger Berliner for county executive. It also endorsed incumbent council president Hans Riemer and candidates Evan Glass, Will Jawando, and Danielle Meitiv for at-large seats. Ben Shnider and incumbents Nancy Navarro and Tom Hucker received endorsements for districts 3-5, respectively. (Rachel Siegel / Post)

Democrats optimistic in Arlington
John Vihstadt, Arlington’s only elected Republican, could lose his County Board seat to Matt de Ferranti, Chanda Choun, or some yet unnamed challenger. He could succumb to an anti-Trump blue wave similar to what we saw in November, since he will likely face a stronger candidate than he faced in 2014 and will not be able to capitalize on 2014-specific issues like the Columbia Pike Streetcar, the failed Artisphere, a proposed aquatic center, and a “million dollar dog park” that energized voters against local Democrats. FWIW, your loyal link aggregator will quit his job and go door-to-door for any candidate that runs on a platform to connect an aquatic center to a million dollar dog park via a streetcar. (BlueVirginia)

Lazere targets Mendelson’s left flank
Ed Lazere, who is taking a leave of absence from being the executive director of the DC Fiscal Policy institute, will challenge Phil Mendelson to become chairman of the DC Council. Lazere criticizes Mendelson for prioritizing tax cuts over investments in crucial public services. Mendelson claims that he and Lazere are actually pretty close on most issues and that a DC Council chairman ought to have significant experience on the council.

Derek Hyra argues that, win or lose, Lazere’s run could help push the council to the left. Hyra then added that all Baby Boomers that run for office do so because they once enjoyed Robert Redford’s The Candidate. (Okay, that last part was a cheap joke, but anything goes when you're livin' The Wire). (JF Meils / City Paper)

Political upstarts discuss the challenge of running against incumbents
All 2018 DC elections feature incumbents, leaving fewer opportunities for new voices to break out. A few of these new voices, Sheika Reid and Marcus Goodwin, discuss issues such as fundraising disadvantages, risk-averse ideological allies that do not want to upset those currently in power, and lack of name recognition. Goodwin goes as far as to suggest that Anita Bonds’ staff may be improperly mixing Council and election business. (James Wright / Afro)

Money in MoCo
Potomac businessman David Trone has a cash advantage over the four other Democrats that are running in Maryland’s 6th congressional district. Trone is largely self-funding, however. Aruna Miller, a transportation engineer and state delegate representing Montgomery County, has raised the most money. Miller and Trone are competing against three other Democrats to succeed Congressman John Delaney. National security consultant Amie Hoeber, who lost to Delaney in 2016, has raised the most money on the Republican side. (Josh Hicks / Post)

Money in NoVa
In the race for Virginia’s 10th congressional district, Alison Friedman maintains her fundraising lead over the eight other Democrats vying for the opportunity to challenge Representative Barbara Comstock in November. Portnoy sees four other viable Democratic candidates. On the right, Comstock faces a challenge from Shak Hill, a former combat pilot looking to energize the Trumpian wing with appeals to “heritage.” (Jenna Portnoy / Post)

Money in DC
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser continues to raise impressive amounts of money, and is not yet facing any “credible” challengers. Ed Lazere is off to an impressive fundraising start, though Chairman Mendelson cautions readers not to read too much into figures at this stage of the game. Anita Bonds was outraised by each of her three young challengers. (Fenit Nirappil / Post)

Last, but not least, an important local DC election somehow taking place in Ohio
Representative Trey Gowdy (R-SC) will not run for re-election this November. Gowdy is currently the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, which reviews all laws passed by the DC Council. Unlike Jason Chaffetz, the previous chairman, Gowdy has taken a hands-off approach to DC, frequently explaining that he was “not elected Mayor of the District of Columbia.”

Jim Jordan of Ohio, who leads the House Freedom Caucus, would be the ranking Republican on the committee and could wind up in charge if the GOP maintains its House majority in 2018. Jordan has a history of messing with the District — he once tried to strip DC of all of its gun control laws. I wonder how the people of Ohio’s 4th congressional district would feel if Bowser had a say in all of their local laws. (Benjamin Freed / Washingtonian)