Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George Launches Campaign for D.C. Mayor

Ward 4 is making noise again, and this time it’s shaking up the entire city. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George has officially announced she is running to be the next mayor of Washington, D.C., stepping into the race with the energy, clarity, and conviction of someone who has spent her entire life fighting for the District she calls home, NBC Washington reports.

“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,” Lewis George said in her announcement. Her message lands powerfully at a moment when residents are thinking deeply about the city’s future, especially with Mayor Muriel Bowser confirming she will not seek a fourth term.

Lewis George is no stranger to the community. A third-generation Washingtonian, a D.C. Public Schools graduate, and a Howard-trained attorney, she represents a new wave of leadership rooted in people-first values. Raised by a mother who was both a union postal worker and a school lunch lady, she credits her upbringing for instilling her commitment to public service. As she shared, her mother taught her “the value of hard work, public service, and to lift others as we climb.”

Her campaign video, “The DC I Know,” doubles down on that message. Lewis George paints a picture of a city worth fighting for, while calling out the challenges that push too many families to the brink. 

“Too many residents still feel squeezed financially, from unaffordable housing to childcare, and feel unsafe in their neighborhoods,” she said. “Residents face uneven access to opportunity and a city government that on its best days feels unresponsive, and on its worst, is leaving residents out in the cold all because leaders have chosen to prioritize the needs of the well-connected over us. That’s wrong, it’s not the DC we should be and that’s why I’m running for Mayor.”

Since joining the Council in 2020, Lewis George has made an impact by championing affordable housing, education, climate justice, safety solutions, and government accountability. She unseated a Bowser-backed incumbent by nearly 12 points, and in 2024, she cruised through her primary with more than 66% of the vote. Her political success has been driven by her persistent focus on everyday people and her willingness to challenge powerful institutions.

She has also stood firm against the federal surge in D.C., calling out aggressive overreach in the clearest terms. “This gross federal overreach isn’t about justice and it’s certainly not safety,” she said after the Trump administration deployed National Guard troops to the District. “It’s an attack on our autonomy and, as a native Washingtonian, I will fight this hostile takeover with everything I have.” Whether pushing back on federal interference or voting against expanding youth curfew zones, Lewis George has consistently argued that protecting D.C. residents requires solutions that build trust, not surveillance.

With Bowser stepping aside, many residents are looking for what comes next. Lewis George isn’t shy about the contrast she plans to draw. “I believe that we need a more affordable D.C. I believe we need a safer D.C., and I do need to think we need a government that is effective and works for the people,” she said. On issues ranging from policing to federal relations, she has been clear: the next mayor must defend the District’s autonomy, push for cultural change inside MPD, and ensure officers are focused on the work taxpayers rely on them to do.

That includes evaluating police leadership. “I would be vetting to see who’s going to be the best police chief to come in,” she said. While she noted she has had a strong relationship with Chief Pamela Smith, she emphasized that leadership decisions would be driven by what she hears from officers and communities on the ground.

Though Lewis George is the first major contender to officially announce, securing a whopping $750k in donations on day one, the field is expected to grow. Kenyan McDuffie is weighing a bid, and several lower-profile candidates have already filed. Meanwhile, the city is also preparing for another major political showdown: the challenge to Eleanor Holmes Norton’s congressional delegate seat. Councilmembers Robert White and Brooke Pinto are locked into that race and say they are not shifting into the mayoral contest, despite speculation following Bowser’s announcement, the Washingtonian reports.

Petitions for mayor can be picked up starting in January, and candidates will need at least 3,000 signatures to make the ballot. If Lewis George were to win, her Ward 4 seat would go to a special election.

For now, the spotlight is squarely on her. A daughter of D.C., a fierce advocate for autonomy, and a progressive voice with strong roots in the community, Janeese Lewis George is stepping into the mayor’s race with a bold vision and the momentum of a city ready for new possibilities.

Cover photo: Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George Launches Campaign for D.C. Mayor/Photo credit: DC Council