JUST IN: Outstanding Blue Metropolis Mayor Will Not Search Re-Election
Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced on Tuesday that she will not be seeking re-election for a fourth term, ending her decade-long tenure as mayor of the nation’s capital.
Bowser, who previously represented the fourth ward as a member of the D.C. city council, shared the news in a video statement.
“My fellow Washingtonians, for 10 years, you and I have worked together on an ambitious agenda to restore faith in our government and ensure that every D.C. resident gets the fair shot they deserve,” Bowser said. “To keep that promise, we took big swings, keeping D.C. teams in D.C., raising enrollment and graduation rates in our schools, and investing more money in housing than any other city or state, creating 36,000 homes.”
She went on to list a number of legislative accomplishments, including the construction of the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, which was the largest infrastructure project in city history.
“We also brought our city back from the ravages of a global pandemic, and summoned our collective strength to stand tall against bullies who threaten our very autonomy, while preserving home rule. That is our North Star,” Bowser went on to say.
“Together, we have built a legacy of success of which I am intensely proud. With a grateful heart, I am announcing that I will not seek a fourth term. For the next 12 months, let’s run through the tape and keep winning for DC.”
It has been the honor of a lifetime to be your mayor.
My full letter to the community: pic.twitter.com/YqYjTbgAYt
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) November 25, 2025
Bowser’s announcement comes just months after she pushed back against President Donald Trump’s decision to federalize the city’s law enforcement agencies and surge downtown D.C. with federal agents and National Guard personnel. After initially opposing the measure, the mayor conceded in August that the move resulted in a steep reduction in major crime statistics.
As a result, she announced that her administration would continue to collaborate with the Trump Administration on law enforcement matters.
Bowser did not endorse a successor in her announcement, focusing instead on finishing strong over the next year. At this early stage, potential candidates include D.C. Council members Kenyan McDuffie and Janeese Lewis George, both of whom have been testing mayoral waters per recent reports.
The mayor has served three terms since taking office in January 2015, winning elections in 2014, 2018, and 2022. Her current term ends in January 2027, with the next mayoral election scheduled for November 3, 2026.
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