Socialist in Trump’s backyard—How Janeese Lewis George could change DC
Janeese Lewis George has a commanding lead in the Democratic mayoral primary in Washington, D.C.—with a win a likely precursor to her becoming the first democratic socialist mayor in the history of the nation’s capital – as she is expected to capture November’s general election, fueled by the district’s heavily Democratic electorate.
According to Associated Press, with 64 percent of ballots counted, Lewis George has received 52.8 percent of the vote, ahead of her nearest rival Kenyan McDuffie on 36.6 percent.
A Lewis George win would be a major victory for the political left, which has grown its power over the past decade. She is poised to join New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani in a new wave of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) members and endorsees to serve as mayors in major American cities. Lewis George becoming D.C. mayor would bring democratic socialism to President Donald Trump’s backyard.
Navigating the president will be a major question Lewis George faces as the likely next D.C. mayor. Incumbent Mayor Muriel Bowser has sought to establish a cordial relationship with the president, but Trump has already made threats to D.C.’s home rule in the days leading up to the election, as polls showed Lewis George had established a polling lead.
The general election is not expected to be competitive. Washington, D.C., is one of the most Democratic areas of the country, as it gave Trump less than 7 percent of its vote in the 2024 election.
Democratic Socialists Expand Power
DSA has grown its ranks in recent years following Trump’s 2016 victory. In 2018, two DSA members, Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, were elected to Congress in an anti-Trump wave.
Other DSA-affiliated lawmakers like Representatives Summer Lee of Pennsylvania and Greg Casar of Texas, who received DSA endorsements for local office but not their current seats, followed.
Mamdani’s victory in 2025 against former Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa was another watershed moment for DSA, giving the organization new prominence as Mamdani leads the most populous city in the nation.
Now, DSA members will likely lead two major American cities, with the opportunity to take another seat in November if Nithya Raman overtakes incumbent Democratic Mayor Karen Bass in the Los Angeles mayoral race.
What Is Democratic Socialism?
DSA describes democratic socialism as a system “where ordinary people have a real voice in our workplaces, neighborhoods, and society.”
“We want a democracy that creates space for us all to flourish not just survive and answers the fundamental questions of our lives with the input of all. We want to collectively own the key economic drivers that dominate our lives, such as energy production and transportation. We want the multiracial working class united in solidarity instead of divided by fear,” the DSA website reads.
DSA members typically support progressive policies like single-payer healthcare and the Green New Deal.
Core to its belief is that any move toward a more egalitarian economy must happen through democratic institutions, civil liberties, and competitive elections, rather than one-party rule—a key difference from some other forms of socialism. It falls under the umbrella of socialism but is a democratic branch of the ideology.
Janeese Lewis George on Crash Course With Trump
If Lewis George becomes the next mayor of D.C., her approach to and relationship with Trump will be closely watched as the district navigates a tumultuous relationship with the federal government.
Lewis George explained how she would work with Trump in recent remarks to The Guardian.
“My approach to Donald Trump is one where I set a line that there is going to have to be [that] DC autonomy and DC statehood are non-negotiables, our immigrant community and neighbors, our Black youth are non-negotiables,” she said.
She said she is “happy to” find policies where she can work together with the administration, pointing to Union Station as an “opportunity to build and create a regional transit hub and create jobs for our city.”
Matthew Dallek, professor of political management at The George Washington University, previously told Newsweek that Lewis George represents a “more drastic break” for some voters, particularly those who want someone who will fight back against the Trump administration.
“[Lewis George] gives voters the chance to register disapproval and to say, in essence, they want the city to move in a new, more progressive, more left wing and more anti-Trump direction,” he said.
Trump last week threatened that the federal government could “take back” Washington, D.C., in the case of a Lewis George victory.
“Maybe we take back Washington and run it on a federal basis,” he said. “We won’t put up with it. We’re not going to lose our businesses. By the way, Washington now is a safe, beautiful place.”
She responded on X, writing, “We are not going to get ICE off our streets or protect Home Rule by fearing this President. Threatening DC because you do not like how our residents vote is an attack on democracy itself. The people of DC elect the Mayor of DC. And they want someone who will stand up to Trump.”
Former President Richard Nixon signed the Home Rule Act in 1973, giving D.C.’s population the ability to elect their local leaders, but Congress still retains significant control over local affairs. A revocation of the agreement would require congressional approval. Article I, Section 8, Clause 17 of the Constitution gives Congress, not the president, local powers in D.C.
Janeese Lewis George’s Priorities
Lewis George serves as a member of the council of the District of Columbia. She earned a law degree from Howard University and has worked in Philadelphia as a prosecutor. She was first elected to the council in 2020 and is a self-described democratic socialist who has been endorsed by the local chapter of the DSA.
She has campaigned on a progressive platform while emphasizing issues such as expanding a childcare subsidy. She is proposing expanding the subsidy so that every D.C. family would be eligible and that no family would be spending more than 7 percent of their income on childcare.
Criminal justice has also divided candidates leading up to Election Day. She told WTOP that she will “allocate officers where needed” and work to “strengthen community relations” and has also emphasized intervention. She has pushed back on calls for a curfew for teenagers.
“A teen curfew is dangerous as long as Trump’s squads will enforce it. It’s reckless to have heavily armed, hostile, untrained soldiers confronting our youth,” she said.
Lewis George has also said she would oppose cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), describing it as a “rogue and dangerous agency that tramples on our civil liberties and attacks our neighbors” in a January 24 post to X.
