Some students said they were disappointed by the lack of participation by certain candidates.

Harvard supporters of Moseley Braun—who ended up placing third in the field of four—said they were excited about the primary, criticizing the missing candidates for not taking the primary seriously, according to “Students for Carol Moseley Braun” leader Ryan  P. McAuliffe ’06.

“It is a real disappointment that other candidates are not pushing for Congressional rights. Ensuring Congressional representation for the District of Columbia is an issue important to the campaign of Moseley Braun and should be to every American,” he said. “I hope the citizens turn out in high numbers and make a real statement.... That’s what this primary really is, making a statement about the disenfranchisement of D.C.”

McAuliffe said this primary will provide a boost to his candidate’s campaign, creating momentum that will aid her in upcoming primaries.

Brandon M. Terry ’05, President of the Black Men’s Forum, said that speaking solely for himself, he took offense at the lack of candidate participation in this primary.

“I think it says a lot about the candidates. The candidates on the ballot are only the ones that care about the plight of black people in D.C. enough to show support for them,” Terry said.  “The others don’t even want to lend their position to fight for the disenfranchised. It would have been a minuscule effort to show their support, to put their name on the ballot, to show that they care whether the residents of Washington, D.C. have a voice in determining the policies.”

“D.C. might as well be Puerto Rico. This is a blatant disrespect to all of the blacks that live in D.C.,” he added.

Director of the Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics Dan R. Glickman said that the capital—whose population is about 60 percent black—will likely gain representation at some point in the future, but the former Secretary of Agriculture said that because this contest will have little practical impact on who will ultimately garner the nomination, it is of very little interest to the candidates, who instead focus their efforts where the results count.

Most candidates paid little heed to yesterday’s primary, but Sharpton made a serious effort in the district. The Washington Post reported that Sharpton launched a media campaign last week, buying $50,000 in radio spots on a half-dozen Washington area stations.

Although the Harvard College Democrats did not hold an event to mark the primary, according to Dems President Andy J. Frank ’05, they will be sending students to neighboring New Hampshire later this month.

—Staff writer Faryl W. Ury can be reached at ury@fas.harvard.edu.