DC risks Trump’s heavy hand with election of socialist mayor

Published June 18, 2026 3:46pm ET | Updated June 18, 2026 3:46pm ET



Janeese Lewis George, a socialist councilwoman, is poised to become the District of Columbia’s next mayor, an electoral outcome that is expected to revive President Donald Trump’s scrutiny of the local government after months of intervening in its affairs.

Although votes continue to be counted, Lewis George’s more centrist opponent, Kenyan McDuffie, conceded the race on Thursday morning, clearing the way for a new era of Washington, D.C., politics after a decade with Mayor Muriel Bowser at the helm as mayor.

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