Local
Catania trails Bowser by wide margin in new poll
Post survey shows Gray and Bowser in dead heat, far ahead of others
D.C. Council member Muriel Bowser leads gay Council member David Catania by a large margin for mayor in a new poll.
A poll released by the Washington Post on Tuesday shows D.C. Council member Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) ahead of gay Council member David Catania (I-At-Large) by a margin of 56 percent to 23 percent if the two run against each other for mayor in the November general election.
Catania, a 16-year veteran of the Council, entered the race for mayor earlier this month as an independent, becoming the first serious openly gay contender for D.C. mayor.
A poll conducted by the Post in January showed Catania and Mayor Vincent Gray (D) in a statistical tie if the two were to run against each other in the general election.
But Bowser’s lead of more than 30 points over Catania in the latest poll suggests that large numbers of Democratic voters, who might have voted for Catania over Gray, are inclined to line up behind Bowser if she wins the Democratic primary on April 1.
The same poll shows Bowser in a statistical tie with Gray in the primary. Bowser had 30 percent support compared to 27 percent support for Gray, with a margin of error of plus or minus 6.5 percent among likely primary voters.
“This is entirely unsurprising,” said Ben Young, Catania’s campaign manager, when asked about Bowser’s lead over Catania in the Post poll.
“She’s been a full-time candidate for over a year,” he said. “She spent a million dollars within the last several weeks on direct mail and other forms of advertising. Our campaign is two weeks old and we’re just getting started,” he said.
Young noted that it remains unclear who will win the Democratic primary, adding, “We are prepared to run against whomever comes out of the primary.”
According to the poll, conducted March 20-23 through both landline and cell phone calls, Council member Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) was in third place with 14 percent; Council member Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) and Busboy and Poets restaurant owner and progressive activist Andy Shallal were tied for fourth place with 6 percent; and former State Department official Reta Lewis and Council member Vincent Orange (D-At-Large), each had 3 percent. Businessman Carlos Allen had 1 percent, with 7 percent of respondents saying they had no opinion on the race.
Gay Democratic activist Peter Rosenstein, who’s supporting Gray, said he interprets the poll as showing Catania would most likely lose in the November election against either Bowser or Gray.
“It shows he didn’t gain any ground against the mayor since the first poll in January despite all the negative publicity against Gray,” he said.
Rosenstein was referring to the barrage of news media reports about federal prosecutors linking Gray to an illegal “hidden” campaign conducted on Gray’s behalf by businessman Jeffrey Thompson and others who have pleaded guilty to criminal charges. Gray, who has denied any knowledge of the illegal campaign activities, has not been charged in what prosecutors say is an ongoing investigation into the matter.
“It will be very hard for Catania to beat Bowser if she wins the primary,” Rosenstein said. “If Gray wins the primary, he will get support from Democrats who backed the other candidates running in the primary.”
Catania supporters, many of whom are Democrats, have said Catania is perceived by many as a reform candidate with a reputation of shaking up city government agencies to fix longstanding problems. They say his chances of winning against the Democratic nominee are good.
Although he filed papers to run for mayor, Catania would have the option of dropping out of the mayor’s race to run for re-election to his Council seat up until the filing deadline in June for independent candidates.
Maryland
‘Girlfriends’ wanted for murder in Silver Spring, Md.
Montgomery County police say two charged with killing mother of one of them
The Montgomery County, Md., Department of Police announced on June 4 that it is seeking the public’s help in locating two women, who they identify as a couple, who are charged with first-degree murder for allegedly killing the mother of one of them.
In a statement police identified the two women as Vanessa Tjongarero-Henderson of Clarksburg, Md., and her girlfriend Samantha Raebel of Phoenix, Ariz. The statement says the two are charged with the murder of Hilde Henderson, 67, the mother of Vanessa.
According to the statement, officers with the department’s 3rd District found Hilde Henderson deceased on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at her home at the Charter House apartments in the 1300 block of Fenwick Lane in Silver Spring after being called to check on the resident’s welfare.
“Henderson was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where an autopsy was conducted,” the statement says. “The cause of death was ruled a homicide.”
It adds, “Through the course of the investigation, detectives identified Henderson’s daughter, Vanessa Tjongarero-Henderson and Vanessa’s girlfriend, Raeble, as the suspects.” It says detectives obtained an arrest warrant against the two women, charging both with first-degree murder.
“Anyone with information regarding the location of these suspects or this crime is asked to call 911 or to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, Md. website at crimesolversmcmd.org,” the statement says, or to call the tip line at 1-866-411-8477.
“Tips with information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward from $250 up to $10,000,” it says, adding that tips may remain anonymous.
A spokesperson for Montgomery County police didn’t immediately respond to a request from the Washington Blade for information not disclosed in the police statement, including the physical-medical cause of death for Hilde Henderson and whether detectives have determined a motive for the murder.
District of Columbia
D.C. Latinx Pride celebrates culture and heritage
Your guide to events throughout June
Organizers with the Latinx History Project have planned a host of events this Pride season with parties, poetry, drag and more.
The festivities begin with the DC Latinx Pride 2026 Kickoff at Crush Dance Bar (2007 14th Street, N.W.) on Friday, June 12 from 6-10 p.m. The party will include a coronation ceremony for the 2026 Royal Court: Ms. DC Latinx Pride Vida Rangel and Mx. DC Latinx Pride Steph Niaupari. RSVP at latinxhistoryproject.org. The event is free, though donations are accepted.
An outdoor event is planned for Sunday, June 14 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Anacostia River Park (1500 Anacostia Dr., S.E.). Cultivating Queer Outdoor Joy is a “peaceful outdoor community event focused on grounding, connection, and queer joy in nature.” The event is free.
A panel discussion is planned for The Festival Center (1640 Columbia Rd., N.W., 2nd floor) on Monday, June 15 from 6-8 p.m. La Plática: The Future of 2 Spirits and Trans Natives will focus upon the “stories, leadership and vision of Two-Spirit, Indigiqueer and Trans Native people.” RSVP to the free event at latinxhistoryproject.org.
A sex-positive poetry workshop, “Hoetry: Writing Erotic Poetry,” is planned for Wednesday, June 17 from 6-8 p.m. at The Festival Center (1640 Columbia Road, N.W.). The event is free.
The workshop So You Wanna Do Drag? is planned for Thursday, June 18 from 5:30-8 p.m. at The Festival Center (1640 Columbia Road, N.W.). Featured guests Ricky Rose and Mari Con Carne will hold a style showcase to discuss the basics of developing a drag persona. RSVP to the free event at latinxhistoryproject.org.
The Latinx History Project is collaborating with Rumba Queer DC to produce an official Latinx Pride Party: Sin Vergüenza. The event is at the multi-level venue, Transmission (1353 H Street, N.E.) on Thursday, June 18 from 7 p.m.-1 a.m. There are dance lessons, vendors and three different music experiences in the sprawling venue. There will also be a drag showcase from 10-11 p.m. The event is 21+ and tickets are available at shotgun.live/en/events/sin-verguenza. Tickets are $15 for entry into the party. Tickets to participate in the dance lesson are $29.98. Participants may choose between a bachata lesson or a salsa lesson from 7-8 p.m.
La Fiesta: Official DC Latinx Pride Party is planned for Friday, June 19 from 10 p.m. – 2 a.m. at Bunker (2001 14th Street, N.W.). Serena Morena from “Drag Race México” and “Drag Race UK vs The World” is slated to headline the 21+ event. Early tickets are available for $15 (plus $0.38 service fee) until June 16. The door cover charge without early tickets is $20. Attendees can also purchase a meet and greet experience with Serena Morena for $30. Tickets are available at latinxhistoryproject.org.
The Latinx History Project plans to march in the Capital Pride Parade on Saturday, June 20 and to have a table at the Capital Pride Festival on Sunday, June 21. Visit latinxhistoryproject.org to register to march alongside LGP in the parade or to staff the table at the festival.
The DC Latinx Pride 2026 Closing Event is scheduled for Friday, June 26 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Mexican Cultural Institute (2829 16th Street, N.W.). The free event is a panel discussion “centering the experiences of immigrants who have lived in Latin America and now call the United States home.”
Visit latinxhistoryproject.org for more information.
District of Columbia
JR.’s hosts meet & greet for mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George
Event organized by Capital Stonewall Democrats, Queers for Janeese
D.C. mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George spoke to a crowd of LGBTQ supporters on June 1 at a meet & greet event held at JR.’s on 17th Street in the Dupont Circle neighborhood.
The event, organized by Capital Stonewall Democrats, which has endorsed Lewis George for mayor, with support from a group called Queers for Janeese, was followed by a “get out the vote” canvassing endeavor in which several of those attending the meet & greet visited the homes of nearby residents known to be Lewis George supporters.
The purpose of the canvassing was to remind Lewis George supporters to return their mail-in ballots or go to the polls on June 16 to elect Lewis George as the city’s next mayor, according to Matthew Kavanagh, one of the leaders of Queers for Janeese who attended the meet & greet event at JR.’s.
Local political observers consider Lewis George, a Ward 4 D.C. Council member, and former At-Large D.C. Council member Kenyan McDuffie, to be the two leading candidates in this year’s race for mayor. The two are among seven mayoral candidates competing in the city’s June 16 Democratic primary.
Lewis George told those attending the meet & greet, which was held on the JR.’s outdoor patio, that she has a long record of advocating for and initiating city polices and laws in support of the LGBTQ community. She said large corporate donors were backing her opponents and urged her LGBTQ supporters to help raise funds for her in the remaining days of the campaign.
Among those attending the meet & greet was gay longtime Dupont Circle civic activist Randy Downs who last November opened a nearby eatery called Protest Pizza. “I am queer and I am a Janeese supporter,” Downs told the Blade.
Stevie McCarty, president of Capital Stonewall Democrats, who also spoke at the meet & greet event, said his group would organize events in support of Lewis George in the remaining days of the campaign. Among them, he said, was an LGBTQ bar crawl in which supporters of Lewis George, including the candidate herself, would visit LGBTQ bars to promote her candidacy.
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