Councilwoman Who Brought Forth Proposed Baltimore Wal-Mart Development Has Been Unseated

From the Baltimore Sun September 14, 2011 (excerpts):

In an election with few surprises, Baltimore City Councilwoman Belinda M. Conaway, the daughter of a storied political family, was soundly defeated in Tuesday’s Democratic primary.

Conaway, 43, who had been dogged in recent months over residency issues and filed a $20 million lawsuit against a blogger she claimed had defamed her, said in a brief interview Wednesday morning that she looked forward to spending more time with her family. She ultimately dropped the suit.

The defeat is a blow to the Conaway political dynasty, which includes the councilwoman’s father, Frank M. Conaway, Sr., the clerk of the city’s Circuit Court who made an unsuccessful primary challenge to Rawlings-Blake. Belinda Conaway’s mother, Mary Conaway is the city’s register of wills and her brother, Frank M. Conaway Jr. represents the city in the House of Delegates.

While the Baltimore Sun cites her residency issue as the reason for Conaway’s defeat, residents who live in the 7th District of Baltimore City knew that her controversial introduction of the proposed 25th Street Station Wal-Mart development was likely to spur a challenger.

From the Mobtown Shank:

There’s no doubt this contributed to her defeat. But Conaway’s troubles began awhile before that when she introduced PUD legislation for the controversial 25th Street Station Wal-Mart/Lowes retail complex in Remington.

The way the PUD was handled, the way Conaway conducted herself (at some community meetings she was defensive and hostile), her lack of support for community concerns like Bmore Local’s 13 Points all not only immediately guaranteed she would get a primary challenge, it motivated a number of area residents who then ended up actively supporting Mosby’s council seat bid.

Belinda Conaway’s defeat should come as a warning to other city council representatives: When you bring a Wal-Mart into a community that doesn’t need or want one, there may be a price to be paid – and that price could be your political career.

Belinda Conaway was, in fact, presented with multiple petitions containing hundreds of signatures from residents who did not support the PUD for the 25th Street Station -and apparently they voted.