Primaries in Washington and New York: Moderate Democrats Lose Ground to Progressives

On June 18, 2026, the results of the Democratic Party primary in Washington, D.C., were announced, making the progressive Janeese Lewis George the party’s nominee for Mayor of the U.S. capital.

Lewis George’s opponent, Kenyan McDuffie, a supporter of a more moderate political course, was defeated despite support from the city’s incumbent Mayor, Muriel Bowser, former Washington Mayor Anthony Williams, and former Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison.

Given the deep unpopularity of conservative candidates among Washington voters and the Republican Party’s support level of below 10 percent in the District of Columbia, both candidates in the 2026 capital primary built their rhetoric around progressive socioeconomic proposals.