By Chris Kain
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Janeese Lewis George today launched her mayoral campaign as she aims to become the third Ward 4 councilmember to decamp from DC’s legislature to its top executive office.

Lewis George, who identifies as a democratic socialist and won her second DC Council term in 2024, vowed to focus her mayoral campaign on “making DC safe, affordable, and creating a government that listens and delivers.”

“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,” she said in a statement that highlighted her roots as a third-generation Washingtonian and a commitment to public service.

This afternoon, Lewis George’s campaign reported receiving enough contributions from DC residents within four hours to qualify for matching funds through DC’s Fair Elections Program.

Lewis George enters the race just days after Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that she will not run for a fourth term. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie is also considering a mayoral run, but as a registered independent he would have to change his party affiliation to enter the Democratic primary, most likely requiring him to resign his council seat.

Two other Democratic legislators — at-large member Robert White and Ward 2 member Brooke Pinto — are running to become DC’s delegate to the House of Representatives, but some observers have suggested that they might switch now to the mayoral race. White lost to Bowser when he ran against her in 2022.

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