Former District of Columbia Councilman Kenyan McDuffie announced his bid for mayor on Wednesday with an anti-establishment platform, promising to break down economic barriers, improve schools, and create safer neighborhoods.
McDuffie is positioning himself as a champion for the working class, pledging to bring a “touch of populism” to the mayor’s office.
The former prosecutor, who first hinted at his mayoral bid in December 2025, enters a competitive field where socialist Janeese Lewis George has emerged as an early front-runner. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced she would not seek reelection in November.
McDuffie, a fourth-generation Washingtonian and former union mail carrier, served as an at-large councilman for 13 years and is registered as an independent.
In December, he stepped down from the council and switched his party affiliation back to Democratic to run in the June 16 Democratic primary.
His platform focuses on economic “guardrails,” a strategy aimed at spreading prosperity across all eight wards while preventing the displacement of long-term residents.
His legislative history includes leading efforts to expand the use of police-worn body cameras and establishing juvenile justice alternatives, which he cites as evidence of his balanced approach to safety and reform.
McDuffie also plans to combat federal overreach, vowing to protect the district’s autonomy and residents against what he calls harmful federal actions.
Building on previous legislative efforts is also central to McDuffie’s campaign, such as further developing his “Baby Bonds” legacy to address the city’s racial wealth gap.
While McDuffie positions himself as a pragmatic force, George has already gained significant momentum, shattering records by raising over $700,000 and qualifying for Fair Elections public funding within just four hours of her December launch.
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Real estate developer Gary Goodweather, a retired U.S. Army Captain, has also qualified for matching funds, bringing his total to nearly $300,000.
The field of candidates continues to grow, including Democrats Adrian Byrd and Cody Birchfield, Republican Esa Muhammad, and independents Christopher Teague and James McMorris.
