Kenyan McDuffie has conceded the mayoral election to Janeese Lewis George, making her the Democratic nominee and – barring an unprecedented political earthquake – the overwhelmingly Democratic city’s next mayor.
In a statement Thursday morning, McDuffie said he called Lewis George to congratulate her on the victory. At the time of his concession, Lewis George held 52.9% of the first-rank vote with nearly three-quarters of ballots counted, according to the Associated Press.
“While the final certification process will continue, it is clear that the voters have chosen a different path,” McDuffie said in a statement. “I want to thank every voter who participated in this election, the tens of thousands of Washingtonians who placed their faith in our campaign, and all of our volunteers, supporters, staff, family members, community leaders, and neighbors who believed in our vision for the future of our city. The campaign may be over, but the work of building a safer, more affordable, more prosperous city continues.”
The concession, on the heels of Tuesday's surprisingly strong showing by the democratic socialist, marks a dramatic reversal of fortunes for McDuffie, a longtime D.C. Councilmember who before the campaign had good relations with D.C. progressives as well as its center-left.
When Mayor Muriel Bowser announced last year that she wouldn't seek a fourth term, McDuffie surprised few people when he jumped into the race.
And yet the politics of 2026 D.C. seemed to move beyond McDuffie, as Lewis George's call for more active government — and more vocal pushback against President Donald Trump — resonated in a register that the mild-mannered McDuffie couldn't seem to access.
Lewis George’s victory was accompanied by strong showings by fellow democratic socialists and progressives in D.C. Council races that could change the balance of the council, even as the ascent of a democratic socialist mayor will end the decade-long dynamic where a pro-business mayor effectively put a break on progressive lawmakers.
In a speech at her election night party Tuesday, she said her campaign has seen success "because we gave voice to one simple truth: the status quo is unsustainable for working people in D.C."
Lewis George, 38, currently represents Ward 4 on the D.C. Council. She has hinged her campaign on affordability, making big promises on child care and affordable housing. Her unapologetically left-wing posture has energized supporters tired of the status quo, but worried business leaders. And her opposition to policing measures like teen curfews have drawn the ire of law-enforcement advocates.
Last week, President Donald Trump threatened to take over the District if she was elected. Although the president doesn’t have the power to unilaterally do that, the win will likely raise tensions with a White House that retains a lot of power over the Capital City.
In D.C.’s first ranked-choice voting election, neither of the big ticket races will rely on voters' second or third choice votes. D.C. Council member Robert White decisively bested colleague Brooke Pinto on Tuesday night to win the Democratic nomination for D.C. delegate.
