Janeese Lewis George nears historic win in Washington mayoral race

Janeese Lewis George moved to the brink of becoming Washington’s first new mayor in 12 years after Kenyan McDuffie conceded, even as ballots were still being counted and the Associated Press had not called the race. The 38-year-old D.C. Council member and self-described democratic socialist now stands to inherit a city that has become a test case for how Democrats govern under renewed pressure from Donald Trump.

Lewis George’s edge was large enough to make McDuffie’s path nearly impossible. With more than 70% of the vote counted, she held about a 16-point lead. Axios reported Lewis George at 53% and McDuffie at 37%, with an estimated 27% of votes still uncounted. McDuffie called Lewis George to congratulate her and wished her success as she prepares for the general election.

The race carried added weight because Washington is overwhelmingly Democratic. Nearly 75% of registered District voters identify as Democrats, making the June 16 primary the real battleground for the mayor’s office. It was also the first D.C. primary to use ranked-choice voting, after voters approved the system in 2024 and the D.C. Council funded it for fiscal 2026. The District of Columbia Board of Elections said ranked choice voting now applies in eligible contests with three or more candidates.

Lewis George built her campaign around affordability, housing, childcare, tenants’ rights and labor support, a message that fit a city where rising costs and federal employment instability remain central concerns. She won backing from labor unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees, while McDuffie drew support from business-friendly and real estate interests. That contrast helped define the race as a choice between a left-flank organizing model and a more centrist governing coalition.

Trump’s role loomed over the contest from the start. He had suggested the federal government could “take back” Washington if Lewis George won, after a federal law-enforcement intervention into the city and amid broader fights over immigration, policing and local autonomy. In a city that has long resented congressional and White House interference, that threat sharpened the stakes and may have helped turn a local mayoral primary into a larger referendum on self-rule.

If the current count holds, Lewis George will not just break through in a deep-blue city. She will do it by showing that, in the capital, resistance to federal overreach can still pair with a disciplined message on housing, labor and the cost of living.