Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser announced on Tuesday that she will not seek reelection in 2026, bringing an end to her mayoral tenure once her third term expires in January 2027.
Bowser, a Democrat who has served as mayor since 2015, has been under scrutiny this year after crime in Washington became a national topic, leading President Donald Trump to federalize the Metropolitan Police Department in August. The mayor has gone back and forth with Trump, but has largely struck a placating tone with his administration.
“It has been the honor of my life to be your Mayor,” Bowser wrote on X. “Together, we have built a legacy of success of which I am intensely proud. With a grateful heart, I am announcing that I will not seek a fourth term. For the next 12 months, let’s run through the tape and keep winning for DC.”
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Bowser did not announce her plans for the future after her term comes to a close, but instead placed faith in the future leaders who would guide D.C.
“Now, looking to the future, I know we’ve laid the groundwork for others to build upon, to reshape and grow DC’s economy, establish DC as the 51st state, and protect our investments in affordable housing, transportation, public safety, and public schools and to build a world class stadium, housing, recreation and parks at RFK,” Bowser said.
Her resignation message was laced with calls for continued home rule, as fears over the district’s autonomy have been heightened since the Trump administration federalized the Metropolitan Police Department and deployment of the D.C. National Guard.
“We also brought our city back from the ravages of a global pandemic and summoned our collective strength to stand tall against bullies who threaten our very autonomy, while preserving home rule. That is our North Star,” Bowser said.
Bowser’s announcement comes nearly one week after the House passed the District of Columbia Cash Bail Reform Act and the CLEAN D.C. Act, two GOP-led bills aimed at criminal justice reform in the capital, which Bowser and other district leaders opposed.
In September, Bowser stood before the House Oversight Committee to testify on D.C. crime, amid heightened attention on public safety under her administration. House Oversight Committee chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY) told the Washington Examiner that Bowser has been a “wonderful partner” to Congress during her time as mayor.
“Mayor Bowser has been a wonderful partner as we’ve worked to find common ground to make D.C. safe, beautiful, and prosperous for all. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together, including the revitalization of the RFK Stadium site. This will be a lasting legacy for Mayor Bowser and will bring economic prosperity and jobs to our nation’s capital,” Comer said.
Bowser touted her accomplishments in her farewell statement on Tuesday afternoon, pointing to projects she helped spearhead, such as opening the Cedar Hill Regional Medical Center and completing the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge over the Anacostia River. She highlighted that under her administration, D.C. has “invested nearly $1 billion in Ward Eight,” the lowest-income ward in the district.
“For 10 years, you and I have worked together on an ambitious agenda to restore faith in our government and ensure that every D.C. resident gets the fair shot they deserve. To keep that promise, we took big swings, keeping D.C. teams in D.C., raising enrollment and graduation rates in our schools, and investing more money in housing than any other city or state, creating 36,000 homes,” Bowser said.
Despite her auspicious self-portrait, Bowser’s tenure has not gone without controversy, as she has toed the line of serving a deep-blue district while placating a Republican Congress and President Donald Trump.
She vetoed a 2022 overhaul of the district’s criminal justice code that was supported by much of the District’s liberal leaders, though the Council then overruled that veto.
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Bowser also gave in to congressional GOP pressure the following year by painting over Black Lives Matter plaza, which she initially commissioned in the wake of the murder of George Floyd in 2020.
Bowser has served in local leadership for much of the 21st century. Before she won her first mayoral election, she served on the Council of the District of Columbia since 2007.
