Two days and one concession later, Janeese Lewis George stands as the District’s presumptive Democratic mayoral nominee.
Even as the Ward 4 council member and democratic socialist focuses on wrapping up her legislative work, she continues to engage current D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, along with other local and national leaders — all part of what she calls the start of a journey to institutional change.
“The conversations that we are having is one where we can have a successful transition of D.C. government and that all of us are aligned in preserving D.C.’s autonomy and fighting for our statehood, Lewis George said during a Thursday afternoon press conference, “and making sure that we are taking the necessary steps that are needed.”
Before addressing local and national press at Busboys and Poets on 14th Street NW, Lewis George spoke with former D.C. Council member Kenyan McDuffie, her principal opponent in the Democratic primary who conceded on Thursday morning.
Lewis George also recounted conversing with D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, and Rep. Robert Garcia, a California Democrat and a member of the House committee that oversees the District.
“He was congratulating me but also saying to me, ‘I look forward to working together to defend D.C. autonomy,’” Lewis George said. “I’m so grateful that we already have so much support in Congress ready to fight for us.”
On Thursday, the Democratic mayoral nominee also expressed a willingness to build rapport across the aisle with any and everyone — including President Donald J. Trump.
“If the White House asks for a conversation or call, I am open to having that conversation in our call,” Lewis George said. “I want to respect…Mayor Muriel Bowser, who is continuing to lead and her team is continuing to have those initial conversations.”
Lewis George Outlines Her Priorities
Once Lewis George gets past a general election she’s likely to win, some of her other priorities include: expanding the District’s solar energy infrastructure via use of federal sustainability funds, making local government more efficient, and ensuring District families spend no more than 7% of their income on child care.
“We are working now with budget analysts to see what is possible and how quickly we can open up our child care subsidy so that more families can benefit from that subsidy,” Lewis George told reporters. “…We are aggressively trying to get this done as quickly and as soon as possible.”
Lewis also designated equitable access to healthy food as an issue of significance to voters she engaged east of the Anacostia River.
“My message is consistent to the residents of Ward 7 and 8,” Lewis George said, “to fight for them to have access to fresh foods through all of the means that are capable of doing so: a grocery store, farmer’s markets, and teaching and helping our families and our students learn how to grow and cook fresh foods as well.”
Ayana Osborne, a case manager who lives in Ward 7, told The Informer that she expects Lewis George to speak and act on behalf of the least of D.C. residents.
“She might not be as stern as McDuffie about the culture, but Janeese will give us a new look on all things,” Osborne said. “I think that she will come from a more subtle projection on… where the residents stand with… the increases that seem to be pushing our native Washingtons.”
Osbourne counts among her top issues the availability of housing vouchers and, more recently, the high utility rates that have gripped her household. Hours before speaking with The Informer, Osbourne was on the phone with Pepco about what she described as an exorbitant bill.
In reflecting on a Lewis George mayoralty, Osborne told The Informer that Lewis George has the wherewithal to effect change and protect the District’s sovereignty at the same time.
“Even though she has [spoken in favor of] programs that I don’t necessarily agree with all the way, I do think she is the better candidate,” Osborne said. “I look forward to her standing up again for D.C…and pushing back against the Trump administration.”
The District’s economic standing took center stage during an election that kicked off months after Trump federalized the local police force and flooded D.C. streets with immigration agents and national guard troops.
In between her appearances on the campaign trail, Lewis George held her own against McDuffie and a contingent of current council members who wanted to pass emergency curfew legislation while federal were still out and about.
On Thursday, Lewis George, again, expressed her desire to end cooperation with ICE, further solidify the District’s sanctuary city status, and appoint new leadership of the Metropolitan Police Department.
“I’ve committed to rebuilding the trust that’s necessary within the police department and the police department with our community,” Lewis George said. “Those conversations are important, especially we need to make sure that everyone is united in fighting for D.C.’s autonomy and standing up for D.C.’s statehood. We need to make sure that the police union understands how losing our autonomy and statehood could impact our officers and the work that they do every day.”
Looking Back: A Victory Etched in Stone a Long Time Ago
By the time Lewis George took to the podium on Thursday, D.C. Board of Elections reported that she secured 52.87% of the vote, compared to McDuffie’s 36.42%, not much of a change from election night.
Over the past six months, Lewis George, a former youth mayor and D.C. State Board of Education student representative, consolidated support among dozens of unions, Sierra Club DC, Free DC Project, and Jews United for Justice.
She also had the endorsements of her former boss, former D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, and at least four sitting District council members.
As has been the case in years past, Lewis George laid the foundation for a decisive victory early on in her campaign via conversations with a wide swath of constituencies and a ground game aided, in part, by the Metro D.C. Socialist Democrats of America (DSA).
“DSA has knocked doors for me in every election that I have run for in the city,” Lewis George told reporters, “and they know how to knock doors. They knock[ed on]thousands of doors and so everyone was an integral part of our ground game. Many of our organizations, everyone was out there knocking doors and I think that makes a difference.”
Also integral to Lewis George’s victory was what she called an ability to articulate the struggles of everyday Washingtonians.
“What was clear is that affordability is an issue in this city, and there has to be leadership who is ready to address it,” Lewis George told reporters. “It wasn’t just one subset of folks. People from the middle class to the margins are feeling the affordability crisis. Whether it’s housing or utilities or child care. I think people understood that we have to have a more affordable city if people are going to stay here. If small businesses can thrive here.”
Alexis McLean, a community advocate who lives in Ward 5, said Lewis George had the record and rapport that inspired voter confidence.
“It’s not about what you’re doing now, it’s about what you’ve been doing,”McLean told The Informer. “Ms. Janeese [has] been out here. She just had a baby and came back. She earned her vote.”
McLean, who didn’t disclose who she voted for, designated housing affordability and job growth as her issues of concern. She said, as Black Washingtonians increasingly become a local underclass, Lewis George shows some promise of reversing socioeconomic loss.
“I was OK with her winning,” McLean said. “Ms. Janeese is for the community, and I felt like McDuffie is for the government.”
