Janeese Lewis George is the next mayor of Washington, D.C., and the Howard University School of Law alumna won in a landslide. On Tuesday night, the Ward 4 councilmember cruised past independent Rhonda Hamilton and Statehood Green Party candidate Robert Gross. As a result, the nation’s capital will have its first new mayor in 12 years.
The Associated Press called the race at 9:56 p.m. Lewis George took about 84% of the vote. Hamilton finished a distant second with roughly 10%.
For Howard, the win carries extra weight. A Bison will now run the city the Mecca calls home.
A Historic Night in the District
Lewis George succeeds Muriel Bowser, who chose not to seek a fourth term. Bowser has led the city since 2015. Now, a new generation takes over City Hall.
The 38-year-old is also a self-described democratic socialist and a member of the Democratic Socialists of America. With this win, she joins New York’s Zohran Mamdani and Seattle’s Katie Wilson in a small group of democratic socialist big-city leaders.
That label drew plenty of fire during the race. President Trump attacked her on social media after her primary win. Even so, D.C. voters handed her a lopsided margin. NBC News has the full race breakdown and national context.
The real fight came in June. Lewis George won a crowded seven-candidate Democratic primary on June 16, decided through ranked-choice tabulations. Two days later, the AP called it, and Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie conceded.
Janeese Lewis George’s Road From Ward 4 to Mayor
Lewis George is a third-generation Washingtonian. She grew up in Ward 4 and came up through D.C. Public Schools: Rudolph Elementary, Deal Middle School and School Without Walls.
Afterward, she earned her bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University in 2010. Next came a year in Los Angeles with City Year. Then, in 2011, she came home to start law school at Howard. She graduated with the Class of 2014.
Money was tight along the way. She worked at Nordstrom Rack and waited tables to cover tuition. Meanwhile, her family lost its childhood home to a rent hike. That experience pushed her toward tenant rights and housing policy.
After law school, she joined the Office of the Attorney General under Karl Racine. There, she worked as an assistant attorney general in the juvenile section. In 2020, she ran for the D.C. Council and unseated incumbent Brandon Todd in Ward 4. Voters reelected her in 2024.
The Howard Law Connection
Howard shaped how she talks about the job. In an interview with The Hilltop, she pointed to Charles Hamilton Houston, the law school’s legendary leader. Houston taught that lawyers should act as social engineers. Lewis George said students heard that message every day.
She also kept close ties to campus. During Howard’s housing protests, she stood with students and linked their fight to gentrification across the District. Later, she launched her mayoral campaign at the Howard Theatre. Fittingly, she celebrated her primary win on that same stage.
According to The Hilltop, she was also the first Howard graduate to enter the 2026 mayoral race. Now she is the first to win it. For more on the university, check out our Howard University coverage.
What She Ran On
Affordability sat at the center of her campaign. Specifically, she pushed universal childcare and lower housing costs. In her victory speech, she promised to make childcare affordable and within reach.
She also ran hard on local control. D.C. still lacks full autonomy under the Home Rule Act. Congress can still override city laws, and National Guard troops may stay on D.C. streets regardless of what she wants. Lewis George pledged to protect Home Rule and push for statehood.
The White House will test her early. She said she would work with anyone to keep the city safe. However, she also vowed to stand up to Trump. In addition, she criticized Bowser for not pushing back hard enough on federal intrusion.
A sit-down between the two sides looks likely. Trump has said he will meet with her. For her part, Lewis George has acknowledged that the capital’s mayor and the administration will have to talk. That relationship could define her first year in office.
A Big Night for HBCU Alumni
Lewis George was not the only HBCU graduate celebrating Tuesday. In Georgia, FAMU alumna Keisha Lance Bottoms won the governor’s race. She will become the first Black governor in that state’s history.
Together, the two wins put HBCU-trained women in charge of a major Southern state and the nation’s capital. Both are lawyers. Both came up through city government. And both ran on cost-of-living issues. You can follow more of our Keisha Lance Bottoms coverage here.
What Comes Next
Lewis George will be sworn in on Jan. 2. Between now and then, she will build her team and prepare for a tough budget year. Federal safety net cuts are also set to hit the region after the election.
Howard students and alumni will watch closely. After all, the university sits in the middle of the housing and development debates she has fought over for years.
Stay with HBCU Buzz for continued coverage of Mayor-elect Janeese Lewis George as she prepares to take office.
