Jun 9, 2026 - News

Exclusive: Bowser backs McDuffie, but stops short of mayoral endorsement

Cuneyt Dil

Panel discussion scene: Mayor Bowser, smiling and in a navy outfit with a microphone sits on a white chair, talking with a reporter in a suit; a blue Axios backdrop is visible behind them. — Mayor Bowser's final year in office ends in January. Photo: Allison Shelley for Axios

Mayor Muriel Bowser says she has "always supported" former Council member Kenyan McDuffie, but won't be making an endorsement in D.C.'s mayoral race.

Why it matters: The outgoing three-term mayor tells Axios D.C.'s next leader will need to foster a "better business climate" as economic growth slows.

McDuffie has positioned himself as a more business-friendly candidate than Council member Janeese Lewis George, who describes herself as a democratic socialist.

What they're saying: "I support Kenyan McDuffie," Bowser said at an Axios AM Live event. But "I'm not endorsing ... for mayor, because I'm stepping off the political stage."

State of play: McDuffie and Lewis George are the frontrunners in the June 16 Democratic primary — D.C.'s first ranked-choice election.

Nearly 25,000 ballots have already been cast as of Monday, per the D.C. Elections Board.

What's ahead: Bowser also said D.C. will need to be "more competitive with taxes" if it ever wants to draw the employers that locate in Northern Virginia.

The next frontier for the city's development is in Southwest, where the federal government is offloading obsolete buildings — creating the chance to build a new neighborhood.

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Exclusive: Bowser backs McDuffie, but stops short of mayoral endorsement

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