Schwartz trailing in D.C. Council race

WASHINGTON - Michael Brown (D) is leading incumbent Carol Schwartz (R) in the At-Large D.C. Council race, according to a new poll commissioned by D.C. Legal, a political action committee.

There are two At-Large seats up for grabs. The poll shows Councilmember Kwame Brown (D) with a comfortable lead, making the race for the second At-Large seat the one to watch.

Here is the breakdown among likely voters:

• Kwame Brown 66 percent
  
• Michael Brown 33 percent
  
• Carol Schwartz 25 percent
  
• Paul Schwartzman 10 percent
  
• Patrick Mara 7 percent
  
• Mark Long 5 percent
  
• Dee Hunter 4 percent

Brown's biggest lead over Schwartz comes from white voters, where he polls at 35 percent compared with Schwartz's 18 percent. When asked about favorability, Schwartz is leading all other candidates.

Despite the close numbers, Schwartz has one obstacle the others don't: Her name won't be on the ballot, which means voters will have to write her name down. That could be made easier if the Board of Elections and Ethics decides to accept write-ins for just "Carol" or just "Schwartz" rather than her full name.

That issue has been litigated in the courts in the past.

Brown says voters should have to write the full name.

"It's not fair to the other candidates who went to the trouble to get their full names on the ballots," Brown says.

Brown is hoping it won't be an issue come election day.

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