Janeese Lewis George, democratic socialist, to win D.C. mayoral primary after opponent concedes

By The Washington Times (U.S.) | Created at 2026-06-18 16:04:20 | Updated at 2026-06-19 01:20:35 10 hours ago

By Matt Delaney - The Washington Times - Thursday, June 18, 2026

D.C. Council member Janeese Lewis George, a Democrat and self-described socialist, is set to become the next mayor of the District after her main competitor, former councilman Kenyan McDuffie, conceded Thursday.

Mr. McDuffie put out a statement acknowledging that he didn’t have enough votes to make up ground with three-quarters of the ballots tallied.

“While the final certification process will continue, it is clear that the voters have chosen a different path. Earlier this morning, I called Councilmember Janeese Lewis George to congratulate her on her victory and wish her success as she prepares for the general election,” Mr. McDuffie said.

Ms. Lewis George of Ward 4 led by double digits during the latest update Wednesday, with 53% of the vote versus Mr. McDuffie’s 37%.

The concession all but assures Ms. Lewis George will be elected mayor this fall in the general election, thanks to Washington’s very Democratic electorate.