Overview
- The mayoral primary opened Tuesday, June 16, and is the city’s de facto decider because roughly three‑quarters of D.C. voters are registered Democrats and the winner is heavily favored in November.
- The race has narrowed to two front‑runners: progressive Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, who led late polls by about 11 points, and moderate Kenyan McDuffie, who has drawn establishment endorsements.
- President Donald Trump publicly warned he might "take back" control of Washington if a progressive wins, a threat that has pushed home‑rule and federal interference to the center of the campaign.
- Three days before the primary the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance issued a $16,000 finding against Lewis George’s campaign for alleged spending and coordination violations, a ruling her team calls politically motivated.
- Election officials say citywide ranked‑choice voting and large numbers of mail and early ballots mean initial results may be incomplete on election night and transfers could decide the winner, with final certification expected in the days to weeks after the vote.