Meet Nate Derenge: The Ward 8 reform candidate taking aim at Trayon White amid bribery allegations
Nate Derenge photo via facebook.com/NateWard8
WASHINGTON - With less than two months until Election Day, Ward 8 Councilman Trayon White is fighting for his political survival after his arrest on bribery charges last month.
The arrest has cast a shadow over his reelection campaign, but White’s Republican opponent, Nate Derenge, is making sure voters don’t forget about it.
Derenge, the only name on the ballot challenging White in November, has used the scandal as a rallying cry for his campaign.
His slogan, "Not a bribe-taker," has been plastered across his social media profiles, with an image of White wearing a crown and the word "betrayal" in bold letters. Derenge hasn’t held back — he even released a rap video mocking White’s legal troubles.
Derenge, who moved to Historic Anacostia in 2015 and bought a home in Fairlawn two years later, works full-time and volunteers at local nonprofits like the House DC and the DC Dream Center. His roots in the community and focus on ending the cycle of poverty have drawn some attention, but whether his bold, often harsh rhetoric will resonate with Ward 8 voters remains to be seen.
Nate Derenge's platform
While Derenge has taken aim at White’s alleged corruption, his platform goes far beyond just criticizing his opponent.
A key part of his campaign is to "break the tethers" of government entitlement programs that he believes contribute to generational poverty and broken families in Ward 8.
On his website, Derenge positions himself as a reformer aiming to end what he sees as dependency on welfare.
Derenge is also pushing for stricter policies to combat truancy in D.C. schools. He proposes withholding public benefits like housing assistance and food aid from households where children have five or more unexcused absences.
On housing, Derenge wants to overhaul the D.C. Housing Authority, which he argues is poorly managed and perpetuates poverty.
His plan includes auctioning off DCHA units to the public, and offering current residents a 30% discount to buy their homes.
Trayon White's legal battle, Ward 8 reelection hopes
Meanwhile, White has remained mostly silent on his legal battle, offering no public comments on the bribery charges.
His brief court appearance earlier this month yielded little news other than the scheduling of his next hearing in November, meaning a trial likely won’t happen until mid-2025.
Despite the scandal, many political analysts believe White remains a favorite to win reelection, citing his deep ties to the community and the support he has built over his years in office. But with Derenge’s aggressive campaign highlighting both the bribery charges and policy differences, the race has become far more competitive.
DC Council removes Trayon White from committee leadership role
D.C. Ward 8 Councilman Trayon White was booted from his committee chairmanship position by the D.C. Council on their first day back from summer recess.
As White’s legal troubles loom over the campaign, voters in Ward 8 will have to decide whether to stick with the embattled incumbent or embrace Derenge’s call for change.
FOX 5's Tom Fitzgerald contributed to this report.