Councilmember Janeese Lewis George announces run for DC Mayor

DC councilmember Janeese Lewis George announces mayoral run

Councilmember Janeese Lewis George has announced her candidacy for mayor of the District of Columbia. Lewis George, who currently represents Ward 4 on the DC Council, enters the race after Mayor Muriel Bowser said last week she will not seek re‑election next year.

WASHINGTON - Councilmember Janeese Lewis George has announced her candidacy for mayor of the District of Columbia.

Lewis George, who currently represents Ward 4 on the DC Council, enters the race after Mayor Muriel Bowser said last week she will not seek re‑election next year.

Potential contenders in DC mayor’s race

The contest for Washington’s next mayor is shaping up to be one of the most closely watched races ahead of the election.

What they're saying:

Lewis George released the following statement about her campaign launch:

"I love our city and am lucky to have grown up here. DC truly raised me. My mother, a union postal worker, and grandmother, a Deal Middle School lunch lady, taught me the value of hard work, public service, and to lift others as we climb. Our shared values as a city, including the ongoing fight for statehood, is rooted in the belief that every person is deserving of representation and dignity. It’s why I’ve stepped up every chance I get to serve my community," said Councilmember Janeese Lewis George. "But too many residents still feel squeezed financially, from unaffordable housing to childcare, and feel unsafe in their neighborhoods. Residents face uneven access to opportunity and a city government that on its best days feels unresponsive, and on its worst, is leaving residents out in the cold all because leaders have chosen to prioritize the needs of the well-connected over us. That’s wrong, it’s not the DC we should be and that's why I’m running for Mayor. I will work with anyone to improve the lives of people here at home, and I will stand up to anyone who gets in our way."

WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 07: Councilmember Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4) is seen during a city council meeting in Washington, DC on February 07, 2023. (Photo by Craig Hudson for The Washington Post via Getty Images)