GLAA is proud to announce its ratings for the candidates of the 2026 D.C. Council General Elections. We invited all candidates running for local office to answer questions based on the 2026 GLAA Policy Brief: Back to Basics. We rank the candidates’ responses to our questionnaire according to whether they (a) responded affirmatively or not, (b) how much depth and clarity they had in their answers, and (c) how their shared track record reflects the stance they are defending. Upon deliberation, candidates are assigned a score that is converted to a number between -10 and 10.
Candidate Scores
Mayor
Democratic Candidate Janeese Lewis-George (10) – Janeese’s responses were detailed, thorough, and demonstrated the practical knowledge and understanding of an experienced policy maker. Her record is well represented throughout, including links to relevant articles on the issues–she has been a leader on many of the issues in the brief. She agreed with GLAA on all the issues except decriminalizing sex work.
Independent Candidate Rhonda Hamilton (6) – Rhonda’s responses were generally detailed and showed passion for the issues facing our communities. Some answers lacked detailed policy proposals which limited our ability to fully judge their depth or her record. She agreed with GLAA on all the issues, with the exception of an unclear answer on decriminalizing sex work.
Republican Candidate Robert Gross did not return a questionnaire and was not rated.
At-Large Election
Independent Candidate Elissa Silverman (7) – Elissa answered most questions with more than a simple yes or no, but generally the substance of the answers and description of her record were not what we expect from someone who had two terms as a councilmember. GLAA is aware of the candidate’s record on these issues and expected to see more details of these votes and actions on the brief’s issues. She consistently advocated for some issues in the brief and she vigorously pursued oversight of DC agencies. She agreed with GLAA on all the issues except decriminalizing sex work, and she did not address the need to revert DC’s pretrial detention laws to the pre-2023 evidence-based standard.
Democratic Candidate Oye Owolewa (9) – Oye’s answers are generally strong with clear examples of actions from his record that are responsive to the questions. He demonstrated a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of the issues in the brief and how they impact the lives of LGBTQ+ people in DC. He showed creativity, offering novel approaches to issues with specific examples of policy solutions. He agreed with GLAA on all the issues.
Republican Candidate Darroll Green did not return a questionnaire and was not rated.
DC Green Candidate Darryl Moch did not return a questionnaire and was not rated.
Ward 1
Democratic Candidate Aparna Raj (10) – Aparna’s responses were detailed and comprehensive, with many creative and insightful connections throughout. Her record demonstrates a history of organizing DC’s communities in pro-democracy actions and for the betterment and human rights of neighbors and workers. She shared concrete next steps to achieve her policy goals. She agreed with GLAA on all the issues.
Republican Candidate Jett Jasper did not return a questionnaire and was not rated.
Independent Candidate Ryan Prince did not return a questionnaire and was not rated.
DC Green Candidate Jude Crannitch did not return a questionnaire and was not rated.
Ward 3
Democratic Candidate Matt Frumin did not return a questionnaire and was not rated.
Ward 5
Democratic Candidate Zachary Parker (8) – Zachary’s answers demonstrated a record of action on all of the issues during his tenure on the DC Council. His responses were thoughtful and drew many connections between the brief and LGBTQ+ community needs. He agreed with GLAA on all the issues.
DC Green Candidate Joyce Robinson-Paul did not return a questionnaire and was not rated.
Republican Candidate Jeffery Kihien-Palza did not return a questionnaire and was not rated.
Ward 6
Democratic Candidate Charles Allen (6.75) – Charles’ answers were thoughtful and clear, demonstrating a strong record of experience as a councilmember with a long history of action on issues in the brief. However, we expected greater depth for a multi-term councilmember on some of the answers. In a few instances, his answers were not fully responsive to the question. He agreed with GLAA on most of the issues, with caveats or partial answers on Invest In a Just Legal System, Power to the People, and Fight Crime At The Source.
Republican Candidate Jorge Rice did not return a questionnaire and was not rated.
Council Chair
Democratic Candidate Phil Mendelson (6.5) – Most of Phil’s responses were generally good, with concise accounts of his actions on the issues in the questionnaire. As incumbent council chair, Phil has a leading role in promoting the rights and wellbeing of DC’s LGBTQ+ community. Phil lost points for not identifying creative ways for the DC Council to support access to Alliance, Medicaid, or SNAP benefits in light of federal cuts. He gained points in consideration of his long-standing record of support of LGBTQ+ civil and human rights.
Republican Candidate Abi Prudent did not return a questionnaire and was not rated.
Attorney General
Republican Candidate Manuel Rivera (4.5) – Throughout Manuel’s responses he demonstrated compassion and dedication to DC communities. Some of his responses lacked detail and he did not have much record on some of the issues in the brief. We appreciated his description of his background, though it would have benefited from more direct connections to the issues in the brief. He agreed with GLAA on most issues, except decriminalizing sex work and his positions were somewhat unclear on Invest In a Just Legal System and Safe and Warm Homes.
Democratic Candidate Brian Schwalb did not return a questionnaire and was not rated.
About Our Ratings
The ratings are based solely on the issues and may not be interpreted as endorsements. Founded in 1971, GLAA is an all-volunteer, non-partisan, non-profit civic organization. GLAA serves as a network of people committed to defending human rights and advocating for the advancement of LGBTQ+ people in the District of Columbia. GLAA is the nation’s oldest continuously active LGBTQ+ civil rights organization.
A candidate with a score of 10 is someone who is in agreement with all the policies presented in the brief, giving thorough answers that show they understand the issues, while presenting a track record that shows proof of their commitment to the causes.
GLAA thanks all the candidates who responded to our questionnaire.
The candidate’s responses are available below.
Questionnaire Files:
Mayor
At-Large General Election
DC Council Ward 1
DC Council Ward 5
DC Council Ward 6
DC Council Chair
DC Attorney General
NOTE: GLAA believes that elected officials are stewards of the public trust and therefore must hold themselves accountable to the highest ethical standards. GLAA, therefore, will not issue any rating for candidates who, in their capacity as elected officials, were expelled from any elected post, or resigned, for ethics violations that include, but are not limited to, conflicts of interest, self-dealing, and malfeasance.