Janeese Lewis George has won the Democratic primary for Washington, D.C. mayor, all but assuring the democratic socialist will replace Mayor Muriel Bowser as mayor of the nation's capitol in January. Kenyan McDuffie, Lewis George’s leading opponent, conceded the race on Thursday.
It is the latest sign of the influential Democratic Socialists of America expanding its reach in the wake of last year's election of Zohran Mamdani as mayor of New York City. Across the country, there are signs that more candidates are identifying as democratic socialists or aligning themselves with the DSA's platform, as the far-left organization's membership grows.
Earlier this month in Los Angeles, Nithya Raman, a city council member and DSA member, advanced to L.A.'s mayoral runoff against incumbent Karen Bass. A Raman victory in November could mean DSA members are running the two largest U.S. cities and the nation's capitol by next year, with another progressive, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, running the third-largest city.
Read more: Meet Nithya Raman, the Progressive Democrat Who Secured the Second Spot in LA Mayor Race
The mayoral race in Washington had largely come down to Lewis George, a D.C. Council member, and McDuffie, a former at-large council member who ran as a more business-friendly Democrat. Lewis George's campaign platform included instituting universal affordable childcare, strengthening tenants' rights, halting gas and electricity rate hikes, and making buses free for DC SNAP recipients.
