D.C. Council member Robert White Jr. secured victory in the Democratic primary for the district's delegate to Congress on Tuesday, positioning himself as the likely successor to the 18-term incumbent Eleanor Holmes Norton.
White's Victory Sets Stage for November
White's win in the heavily Democratic city makes him the frontrunner for the general election in November, where he could replace Norton, who at 89 decided not to seek reelection amid growing concerns about her ability to counter the Trump administration's federal interventions in the city's affairs.
White campaigned on a platform of fighting for the city's autonomy, which has been increasingly constrained under President Donald Trump. Trump deployed the National Guard on an ongoing, open-ended mission and disrupted the capital's economy by downsizing the federal workforce.
"The future of our city is at stake," White told The Associated Press after casting his ballot Tuesday.
The D.C. delegate position is nonvoting, but it provides the nearly 700,000 residents of the district—who lack other congressional representation—a voice through speeches on the House floor and the ability to introduce bills.
A Historic Primary Election
This primary marked the first time in a generation that D.C. residents voted for a new mayor and delegate in the same election. In an overwhelmingly Democratic city, the party's winners are expected to prevail in November. The AP has not yet called the mayoral race.
Current Mayor Muriel Bowser, first elected in 2014, chose not to seek a fourth term. Democratic front-runners Janeese Lewis George and Kenyan McDuffie are vying to replace her.
Trump's Influence Looms Large
Central to all campaigns has been the city's fraught relationship with the Trump administration and the federal government. The city has limited autonomy, with federal leaders retaining significant control over local affairs, including approval of the budget and laws passed by the D.C. Council.
That autonomy has been further squeezed under Trump, who launched a federal law enforcement surge last summer and sent in the National Guard for an ongoing, open-ended deployment. Trump's efforts to downsize the federal government also roiled the capital region, costing thousands their jobs. He has also reshaped the city by removing or renovating storied landmarks and placing his name or image on buildings.
Last week, Trump threatened a new federal takeover of Washington when asked about his response to a potential victory by Lewis George, a democratic socialist.
"Maybe we'd take back Washington, run it on the federal basis," he said.
Lewis George, who has pledged to protect the city's autonomy, stood firm at her post-election event, where pop music blared and a crowd danced with the candidate on stage.
"If there was any doubt, right now we lay it to rest," she told cheering supporters. "It is the people of D.C. who elect the mayor."
McDuffie, closing out the day at an event with supporters, echoed that sentiment.
"It is under threat right now, but Donald Trump does not run Washington, D.C. We do. The people of D.C. run Washington, D.C.," McDuffie told the crowd. "And we will fight for D.C.'s autonomy every single day of the week."
Neither candidate declared victory as preliminary results rolled in.
Bowser's Balancing Act
Bowser found herself walking a fine line between staying in Trump's good graces and responding to constituents' concerns, many of whom said she didn't push back hard enough on Trump's actions.
Republicans in Congress have used their oversight authority to challenge the local government's limited autonomy.
Key Issues: Federal Intervention and Affordability
Washington resident Fran Tatu, 69, said the National Guard deployment was a concern for her.
"What's at stake—many young lives with the surge of federal officers by Trump and all of the troops that are here," she said, adding that she was voting for Lewis George and White.
Lewis George, in response to questions from The Associated Press, said her top priority is addressing "the affordability crisis here in D.C., which the Trump administration has only made worse by unjustly firing federal employees en masse and militarizing our streets."
McDuffie said his top priority is public safety. He would add 1,000 police officers over four years and take a public health approach to violence reduction that includes focusing on mental health.
Other candidates for mayor include former council member Vincent Orange and Hope Solomon, a former federal contractor who lost her job because of cuts by the Department of Government Efficiency.
This story corrects the spelling of Zalesne's first name. It is Kinney, not Kenney.
