Fiona Greig announced on her website that she is dropping out of the race for Ward 2’s seat on the D.C. Council, leaving longtime city politician Jack Evans unopposed for the 2012 election.
Greig, a 32-year-old manager at the consulting firm McKinsey and Company, officially launched her campaign about two weeks ago, after an exploratory committee. She said in her statement that she was no longer vying for the Ward 2 seat following an “intimidation campaign” from the Evans camp.
“Perhaps I was naïve, but I didn’t expect to face an intimidation campaign by a 20-year-incumbent and his supporters. At home, I received muffled phone calls telling me about the “dirt” my opponent had on me,” Greig said.
Greig also said a city agency informed her that a prominent private investigation “whose firm does ‘surveillance’ and ‘domestic investigations'” requested her records.
“Maybe that explains the man who repeatedly walked past my house one night, looking in the windows,” she said.
Evans, 57, has represented Ward 2 – which covers Foggy Bottom, the West End, Georgetown and Dupont Circle – since 1991. He raised about $233,000 by Oct. 11, his campaign announced then.
While still in the race Monday, Greig said she was challenging Evans because he was out of touch and no longer represented the views, interests and needs of Ward 2 residents, adding that he was not a strong enough advocate for ethics.
“In my opinion, this intimidation campaign just isn’t right,” her statement reads. “We need to change the nature of the local D.C. politics to welcome more residents to take part in our political process — not spend time and money to shut them out. Without more resident participation, we know which voices will get heard.”
The former candidate made local headlines last week, after media reported Greig accidentally released a potential donor list with her filings to the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance. Notes next to names included “super wealthy” and “Homosexual McKinsey.” She responded to the reports with an apology to the individuals listed in the filing, saying she did not personally author the notes and is supportive of the LGBT community.
The primary election is scheduled for April 3, while the general election will take place Nov. 6.
Evans’ campaign did not return requests for comment.
