District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Tuesday that she is not running for reelection in 2026, giving the green light to district councilmembers waiting in the wings to launch their own mayoral runs.
The two most prominent district leaders reportedly mulling a run are D.C. Councilman at-Large Kenyan McDuffie, an independent, and Councilwoman Janeese Lewis George, a socialist.
McDuffie, a former Justice Department civil rights attorney, has served on the D.C. Council since 2012 and would be a centrist, Bowser-aligned candidate on the ticket. He has not yet announced that he plans to run but told Axios D.C. in late October that he is “giving it serious consideration.”
“The outreach and encouragement I’ve received so far has been nothing short of humbling, and it reinforces the importance of this moment for the District,” McDuffie told Axios in late October. “I do not have a decision to announce today, but when the time is right, I will share my plans for 2026 with you.”
McDuffie thanked Bowser in a statement following her announcement that she will not seek reelection, saying she “never took her eye off the ball when it came to making critical investments in housing, education, public safety, and economic development.” He did not give any indication of his own aspirations but said Bowser “set the stage for the work that must come next.”
“She led with determination and a genuine love for the people of DC—especially during some of the city’s most challenging times,” McDuffie wrote on X. “Her service has strengthened DC and set the stage for the work that must come next.”
George is a progressive, self-described “democratic socialist” who has clashed with the more centrist Bowser over her approaches to issues such as crime and President Donald Trump’s federalization of the Metropolitan Police Department. She gave props to Bowser on Tuesday after the mayor announced she would not seek reelection, saying she “served the District faithfully.”
“She has guided our city through difficult times, secured important investments, and worked hard to strengthen our communities,” George said.
George also has not yet announced a run for mayor, but Axios D.C. reported Thursday that the socialist hopes to emulate New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani‘s campaign by bringing out young voters through digital campaigning and enlisting thousands of door-knocking and phone-banking volunteers.
Neither McDuffie nor George responded to the Washington Examiner‘s requests for comment.
There are four candidates who have filed to run for mayor in 2026: Regan Jones, Rhonda Hamilton, and Robert Gross, three Democrats, and James McMorris, an independent.
Hamilton, a mental health nonprofit executive who describes herself as a “community-centric independent,” challenged Bowser in 2022 as a write-in candidate.
BOWSER FORGOES REELECTION BID AFTER MORE THAN 10 YEARS AS DC MAYOR
Gary Goodweather, an Army veteran and financial and operations manager, has announced he is running as a Democratic candidate, though he has not filed yet.
Primary elections for mayor will be held on June 16, 2026, and the general election is set for Nov. 3.
