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Also this issue: Ready, Willing and Disposable? Fineprint Main Line $ex Battle Eternal Gale Warning Two-Faced Natural Selection The Bell Curve |
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June 26-July 2, 2003
city beat
 CAN WE TALK: Deborah Williams (left) and Tom Hutt, challengers in the Eight District Council race, want to debate incumbent Donna Reed Miller. Miller says no way! Photo By: Michael T. Regan |
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The Green Party and GOP unite in the Eighth District Council race.
Tom Hutt, a white, male, Green Party activist and Deborah Williams, an African-American, female, Republican evangelical preacher have about one thing in common: They both want Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller’s job. So, in their quest to unseat the councilwoman, the pair has united to call for a series of debates with Miller -- a demand the Democratic incumbent has brushed aside.
Because of Miller's resistance -- and despite their obvious differences -- Hutt and Williams have become political allies. "(Hutt) seems like a nice guy," Williams says. "She's a bright, articulate, concerned, black woman," responds Hutt of Williams, whom he describes approvingly as a "Mount Airy Republican like Sam Katz, not a Rick Santorum Republican."
What unites Hutt and Williams is not just their eagerness to debate, but their disdain for the Democratic Party machine. "One of the things I said to her in so many words," Hutt explains, "is, 'What's a nice woman like you doing with the Republican Party?' And she said, because the Democrats aren't doing anything. Well, she didn't have to convince me of that!"
Williams says she was turned off to the Democratic machine by Election Day voter fraud which she says she experienced firsthand. Williams tells of having been escorted into the voting booth by a Democratic poll worker who attempted to show her whom to vote for. "I'm like, I can't believe this this is completely illegal. And this is not an isolated incident," she recalls.
Hutt started the push for a debate on June 6, when he sent a letter to Miller asking for "at least [one debate] in every neighborhood of the district" before Election Day. (The district includes Germantown, Mount Airy and Chestnut Hill.)
"I'm sure you will agree that our democratic system of government demands an open airing of views so that voters may make an informed choice on Election Day," wrote Hutt in the letter he also sent to Williams. Williams read it and contacted Hutt. From there, the two met for lunch and ended up sending another version of the letter coauthored and signed by the unlikely allies.
So far, Miller won't budge. When initially contacted on June 13, the two-term incumbent said she hadn't seen the letters. "I don't know anything about Tom Hutt or Deborah Williams wanting a debate or what we'd be debating about," Miller said. "I've never seen them at any community meetings. I've haven't seen any letter."
After City Paper faxed a copy of the letter to Miller's office, her chief of staff, Steven Vaughn, said the councilwoman wouldn't agree to the request. "We run for office but that doesn't require a debate, does it?" he asked rhetorically. "I don't see any significance in a debate. You don't need a debate to learn about the issues."
Vaughn said constituents should get to know the candidates when they campaign in the neighborhoods and if voters want to size them up, they should attend candidates' nights hosted by various community groups. "We have always shown up to them. But it's not going to be a formal debate as if this was a president's race or a governor's race."
West Mount Airy Neighbors executive director Laurie Beck Peterson says her organization works with Germantown and Chestnut Hill groups to host such events before each primary and general election. Peterson says that in the past, candidates have each had time to make their pitch but there was no formal debate. As for their yet-to-be-scheduled, general-election candidates' night, Peterson says, "I'm sure [the candidates] will make their needs and desires known to us. The format of the evening is something all the organizations will talk about."
Vaughn also pointed out that Miller doesn't even need to consider Hutt an opponent since he's yet to file the necessary paperwork to run for office. Hutt says his nominating petition, not due for two months, is nearly complete. "We're going to file about a month earlier than the August 1 deadline," he says. "My volunteers and I have collected over 600 signatures so far. The minimum required is 750 valid signatures. We're going to turn in over 1,000 just to make sure we're safe."
With two challengers jointly plotting strategy, both try to keep from forgetting that they're officially opponents. "I am aware of the fact that we are running in an election for the same office but I would hope no matter who wins that we can still work together," Williams says.
Until then, however, the two will continue pressuring their tightlipped opponent to debate.
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