Mayor Muriel Bowser offered a clear show of support for Councilman Kenyan McDuffie on Tuesday but stopped short of endorsing a successor, while warning that Washington, D.C., risks repeating financial mistakes that once pushed the city to the brink of bankruptcy.

Speaking at an Axios AM Live event, Bowser praised McDuffie when asked about the 2026 mayoral race while emphasizing she would not endorse any candidate. When asked twice about the more progressive vision offered by McDuffie’s rival, Councilwoman Janeese Lewis George, the mayor pivoted to express concern about the city’s financial future.