ABSTRACT

The literature on mayoral leadership is replete with postulations of models, arguments that ensue from group conflict about the sources of constraints on leadership, delineations of the varied preconditions for effective leadership, and characterizations of varied leadership styles. Favorable perceptions of mayoral leadership are arguably the most valuable political capital available to a mayor. The local Republican party is small as well, very weak in relationship to the local Democratic party, and while “Republican” is a useful label in at-large council races, it is generally a distinct disadvantage in ward-based races and in mayoral races. Formidable popularity has shielded the mayor from the consequences of questions of effective leadership. Within the context of individual-oriented politics, the incumbent mayor, Marion Barry, has emerged triumphant. In the District of Columbia the question of mayoral effectiveness has traditionally been upstaged by the mayor’s formidable popularity.