Mayor Muriel Bowser offered a clear show of support for Councilman Kenyan McDuffie on Tuesday but stopped short of endorsing a successor, while warning that Washington, D.C., risks repeating financial mistakes that once pushed the city to the brink of bankruptcy.
Speaking at an Axios AM Live event, Bowser praised McDuffie when asked about the 2026 mayoral race while emphasizing she would not endorse any candidate. When asked twice about the more progressive vision offered by McDuffie’s rival, Councilwoman Janeese Lewis George, the mayor pivoted to express concern about the city’s financial future.
“I support Kenyan McDuffie,” Bowser said. “I have always supported Kenyan McDuffie. … I’m not endorsing or making any endorsements for mayor, because I’m stepping off the political stage.”
As Bowser delivered the disclaimer, she smiled and cast a sideways glance.
The comments amounted to one of Bowser’s clearest signals yet about who she believes should succeed her after deciding not to seek a fourth term. Prior to McDuffie announcing his mayoral bid, Bowser had said, “If you like me, you’re going to love Kenyan. Wink, wink.” When asked if she still resonated with her words, she simply said she had not said them the way the Axios interviewer recounted.
Bowser was then asked whether she was concerned about Janeese Lewis George, a Democratic socialist who is also running for mayor. Rather than naming Lewis George directly, Bowser pointed to the District’s troubled financial history.
“We’re really not that long away from being governed by a control board,” Bowser said, referring to the federally appointed Financial Control Board that oversaw the city’s finances in the 1990s. “What got us there was imprudent decisions fiscally, so we had to work out of that. We had the assistance of the federal government in bailing out some of our institutions. We never want to go back there.”
Bowser argued that most sitting elected officials had never governed through a recession and warned that slower economic growth would require difficult decisions about spending and investment. The district, she said, is no longer experiencing the rapid growth that defined much of her tenure and is now growing at a rate below inflation.
The remarks highlight a growing divide between the top two mayoral contenders, McDuffie and Lewis George, over how to manage the city’s finances.
McDuffie has largely campaigned on economic development efforts, expanding government programs, and improving public safety.
Housing has become a focal point of McDuffie’s campaign, as the candidate said he has laid out a plan to build 12,000 new housing units and upgrade 20,000 existing affordable housing units in the district. He has also said he plans to expand childcare, improve access to healthcare, and “address homelessness with dignity.”
Lewis George has emphasized greater public investment in housing, challenging McDuffie’s proposal by saying she would build 50,000 multifamily homes in the city and prioritize expanding homeownership through downpayment assistance and foreclosure prevention aid.
Lewis George has also promised greater investment in social services, worker protections, and lower costs for residents, arguing the city should prioritize affordability and equity amid rising costs.
Bowser echoed themes that have become central to McDuffie’s campaign, calling for a more business-friendly climate, competitive tax policies, and renewed efforts to attract private investment. She argued that post-pandemic policies have discouraged investment and said the city must restore confidence among developers.
Lewis George’s economic development platform rather focuses on building more grocery stores and retail businesses in Wards 5, 7, and 8, as well as using vacant real estate in D.C. for “pop-ups,” incubators, and small businesses. She also plans to create a “Downtown Development Corporation” that will “foster mixed-use development: less office space and more housing.”
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While Bowser insisted she is remaining neutral in the race, her praise for McDuffie and warning against fiscal mismanagement offered a strong indication of where her sympathies lie as the campaign enters a critical phase. Bowser’s office told the Washington Examiner, “The Mayor’s remarks stand on their own.” The Democratic primary for the D.C. mayoral race is June 16.
The Washington Examiner reached out to McDuffie and Lewis George for comment.
