Because of negative campaigning by Rashida Brown’s campaign in Ward 1, we have made the decision to change our endorsement to encourage voters to rank Aparna Raj first, and Rashida Brown second.
As a Jewish organization, our values and actions are rooted in and guided by Jewish tradition. In moments that feel difficult, complicated, or uncertain, we turn to that tradition for wisdom and lean into relationships, human dignity, accountability, integrity, and the belief that how we pursue change is part of the change itself. That commitment shaped our endorsement decision in the Ward 1 race.
For the first time, DC residents will vote using Ranked Choice Voting, allowing them to rank multiple candidates instead of picking just one. JUFJ and the Campaign Fund supported Ranked Choice Voting because it offers a promise: the opportunity to build coalitions and engage in positive campaigning rather than the endless mud-slinging that has become commonplace in politics. With that promise in mind, we endorsed both Aparna Raj and Rashida Brown. We did so because both candidates are aligned with many of the progressive policies we work on every day with our partners, and because we hoped Ranked Choice Voting would create space for candidates with shared goals to support one another rather than tear one another down.
When the JUFJ Campaign Fund endorsed Aparna Raj and Rashida Brown, we asked them both to commit to not “go negative” against one another. We endorsed these two candidates because both are aligned with our progressive values, and we believed that both would make strong members of the DC Council. We want progressives to work together to achieve better outcomes for DC – outcomes like affordable housing, tenant protections, subsidies for child care workers, and paid family and medical leave. We wanted to do our part to ensure an election that embodied the type of world we want to live in.
This week, a mailer, sent by Brown’s campaign, hit doors in Ward 1 that attacked Raj’s record and told voters she is not to be trusted. This is exactly the type of negative campaigning that we were referring to in our conversations with both candidates when we endorsed. Furthermore, as an endorsing organization, we were not made aware of this mailer or the decision to pursue a negative campaign strategy in advance.
Based on the actions of Brown’s campaign, our Ward 1 endorsement team has made the decision to change our endorsement to encourage voters to rank Aparna Raj first, and Rashida Brown second. When we spoke with her, Brown said that she did not see this mailer as an attack, but she acknowledged that many others see it as just that. Regardless, the choice to send a negative mailer about Aparna Raj is very concerning. At the same time, we are committed to staying in relationship with Rashida Brown because we believe that people can make mistakes and learn and because we believe in her progressive vision for DC.
We know that repair is possible through relationships and accountability. The Jewish practice of teshuvah is the process of returning to our highest selves by taking responsibility for our actions and repairing the harm we have caused. It is one of Judaism’s deepest spiritual commitments because it does not demand perfection; it recognizes that making mistakes is part of being human. What matters is whether we are willing to engage in the difficult work of change. We hope that Rashida Brown will take this moment to reflect and that it will deepen her commitment to clear communication and integrity with community members.
While we have made the choice to change our endorsement ranking, we stand by our endorsement of Aparna Raj and Rashida Brown. Our hope is that one of our endorsed candidates will be elected, and we look forward to maintaining and building a relationship with them based on trust, accountability and collaboration, in order to work together towards a thriving DC for all of us.
