Vote for My Dad

from the Gazette

Council’s sole Republican is running on his record
Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2006
by Janel Davis
Staff Writer


Howard A. Denis has survived as the lone Republican on the County Council for six years. With a record of constituent service to rely on, Denis hopes to extend his council tenure for four more years.

Denis, 66, represents council District 1, which includes Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Potomac. His council service began with a special election in 2000, when he was elected to fill out the remaining term of Councilwoman Betty Ann Krahnke when illness forced her to resign. He was re-elected in 2002, and has become known as much for his extensive baseball knowledge and historical quotations, as he has for his stand on issues.

Denis has successfully worked with council colleagues in passing a number of contentious issues, and in some cases devising conciliation plans for both sides. He was instrumental in setting building height rules, proposed an amendment to resolve the Seven Locks and Churchill cluster school construction issues and was a key vote in fast-tracking the county’s smoking ban.

Along the way Denis has garnered the endorsements of most of the county’s civic, education, and labor organizations, including many with little history of Republican endorsements.

If successful in November, Denis’ four-year focus will include maintaining parks and the tree canopy, working with the school system to do away with portable classrooms and establishing closer relationships with nonprofit organizations. He is also lobbying for membership on the council’s Health and Human Services Committee.

Denis faces Democratic challenger and energy lawyer Roger Berliner in the general election. Berliner ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination during the 2000 special election.




Howard ‘‘Howie” A. Denis
County Council District 1
66, Chevy Chase
Republican
Experience: Montgomery County Council (2000-Present); state senator (1977-1994) Top issues: Restoring public confidence in county land-use planning, building long-awaited transportation projects, providing quality oversight of the school system budget
Web site: www.votedenis.com
‘‘My constituents are highly educated and are and have always been willing to vote for the person and not the party,” he said. ‘‘I’m also part of a tradition of being a responsive politician. I always felt that the best politics is to do a good job, no matter the party.”

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