How a democratic socialist swept D.C.
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Mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George at her election night party at the Howard Theatre in D.C.. Photo: Maxine Wallace/The Washington Post via Getty Images
The triumph of a democratic socialist in the D.C. mayoral race is the latest sign that younger urban voters are turbo-charging candidates who promise to go big on affordability and take on President Trump.
Why it matters: While Washington joined New York and Seattle as the latest big city to elect a democratic socialist, Janeese Lewis George's victory was less about her political label than about punishing prices and anger at the president.
State of play: Lewis George, who handily defeated a moderate in the Democratic primary, marks a break from decades of business-friendly politicians running the nation's capital. Three trends explain her rise:
- Unhappiness with the city's direction stood at the highest level (55%) since Marion Barry's reign 28 years ago, per a Washington Post-Schar School poll. A lot of that disaffection was driven by Trump, but there was also a shout for change after three terms of Mayor Muriel Bowser.
- Washington's influx of white residents, who tend to be younger and more progressive, made winning that vote even more important, and Lewis George ran up the score in neighborhoods where they've settled. She also proved critics wrong by winning in majority-Black, working-class communities — the only place she lost was the city's wealthiest enclave, Northwest's Ward 3.
- Nearly half of D.C.'s registered Democrats have a favorable view of socialism, per the poll — so it's not a turnoff. Three other progressives led D.C. Council races, giving the presumptive mayor powerful allies.
Zoom in: Lewis George appears to have broken through by:
- Echoing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, she made the cost of living her No. 1 issue. Her rival, Kenyan McDuffie, ran on public safety and called her soft on crime, even as violence was fading as a top issue.
- Assembling a potent get-out-the-vote machine that encompassed almost every major local union plus the Democratic Socialists of America's local chapter, which helped knock on what she says were 200,000 doors.
- Crafting a vibey social media campaign that might not have reached New York City-level cinematic appeal but attracted eyes, including on Gen Z's favorite hangout app, Partiful.
Reality check: Lewis George's campaign rhetoric is about to collide with governing realities.
- The city's economic slump calls for business growth. Trump's slashing of the federal workforce has unemployment sitting at 6.3%, city data shows, and population growth is slowing. The city is dealing with a budget gap of up to $1.1 billion this year.
- Lewis George is already adapting to facts on the ground. She appeared to distance herself from a new wealth tax in an upcoming budget vote, and when asked if her pricey promise of universal child care is achievable in year one, she told Axios: "We will see."
- She'll also need Trump's help. Lewis George made two pitches to Washington's business elite: Rejuvenating empty federal offices downtown, and kickstarting a multi-billion dollar Union Station expansion. TBD if Trump bites.
The bottom line: For most D.C. voters, Lewis George's message hit all the right notes: Everything's expensive, and Trump is making life worse.
