Washington, D.C. is on the brink of significant political change as voters prepare to elect their first new mayor in 12 years and a new Congressional delegate for the first time since 1991. Regardless of the primary results on Tuesday, the winners are expected to face immediate challenges with President Donald Trump.
The leading candidates in both races have based their campaigns on opposing Trump, who, since his return to office, has worked to diminish Washington’s self-governance and reshape parts of the city. Mayor Muriel Bowser, in office since 2015, has attempted to pragmatically engage with the president to mitigate conflicts. Meanwhile, Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, who has served since 1991, has openly criticized Trump’s actions yet has stepped back from the spotlight amid concerns about her effectiveness at 89 years old.
The aspirants aiming to succeed them believe more decisive action is necessary.
In discussions with POLITICO, the leading candidates expressed a desire to collaborate with the Trump administration on initiatives that could invigorate Washington’s struggling economy. However, they firmly opposed Trump’s aggressive law enforcement measures, such as the indefinite deployment of the National Guard and the increased presence of federal immigration agents working with local police.
Kenyan McDuffie, a former D.C. Council member and second in the mayoral race polls, stated, “Washington, D.C., residents want and deserve a mayor who’s going to stand up and fight back, and that’s what I’m bringing.” He promised to terminate the cooperation between the Metropolitan Police Department and ICE on his first day in office.
Janeese Lewis George, another D.C. council member leading McDuffie by over 10 points in the polls, has adopted a more confrontational stance against Trump. She declared to POLITICO her intention to “actively tell our employees to resist” should Trump again federalize the MPD and pledged to collaborate with D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb to “defend D.C.”
Trump has already voiced his dissatisfaction, especially with Lewis George, a democratic socialist whose campaign mirrors that of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. When asked about the prospect of Lewis George’s primary victory, Trump remarked, “I wouldn’t like it.” He also suggested a potential federal takeover of Washington, expressing, “We won’t put up with it. We’re not gonna lose our businesses.”
Lewis George’s campaign quickly transformed Trump’s remarks into an advertisement. She responded, “Look, we’re not going to get ICE off our streets by fearing this president. We’re not going to protect our rights, or Home Rule, by complying in advance. Threatening Home Rule because you don’t like how residents are voting is an attack on democracy itself. The people of D.C. elect their mayor, and they want someone who’s gonna stand up to Donald Trump.”
This sentiment is echoed among the leading candidates for delegate.
Robert White, a city council member and frontrunner in the delegate race, criticized Trump’s deployment of federal agents and National Guard troops as “lawlessness” and contrary to public safety. He intends to form a congressional coalition to “push back in every way.”
Brooke Pinto, another council member and a key contender in the delegate race, has emphasized public safety in her campaign. She argued that the administration’s use of National Guard troops and ICE agents has been detrimental to the city, stating, “While I am very committed to advancing public safety in the District of Columbia, what we’re seeing from the Trump administration undermines those efforts.”
The candidates’ messaging resonates politically in a city that strongly supported Kamala Harris in 2024 and has been directly affected by Trump’s policies, including troop deployments and significant cuts to government programs and the federal workforce, which have contracted the District’s economy. Trump’s efforts to emblazon his identity across federal buildings and initiate ambitious architectural projects further highlight his influence.
McDuffie affirmed, “When politicians try to interfere with our local public safety, when they are sweeping up unhoused residents, cutting jobs, when they are pushing policies that negatively affect our local economy and driving up overall costs of everything from gas to housing, I’m going to fight back.”
This confrontational stance places the candidates in direct opposition to Trump, who has historically retaliated against his adversaries. The president has various tools at his disposal, including additional federal law enforcement actions and leveraging his influence over Congress to weaken D.C.’s Home Rule. The city also relies on federal support for prominent projects, such as improvements to Union Station and the redevelopment of the RFK Stadium campus, which could be at risk.
When asked about the White House’s strategy for dealing with potentially more combative D.C. leadership, a spokesperson pointed POLITICO back to Trump’s comments made in the Oval Office.
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