The former At-Large councilmember resigned from his seat saying, “This work is not finished.”
WASHINGTON — After months of speculation, former At-Large Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie announced his mayoral run to replace incumbent DC Mayor Muriel Bowser.
McDuffie’s decision comes after he resigned from his seat weeks ago saying in a statement, “The work is not finished. The next chapter will allow us to continue to fight and deliver on the tremendous progress we’ve made together with a further focus on greater affordability, economic security and opportunity, safety and real long-term solutions to our greatest challenges.”
The native Washingtonian has been on the DC Council since 2012, when he was elected to represent Ward 5. He was reelected in 2014 and again in 2018 then in 2022, won the race for an At-Large position.
In May of 2022 McDuffie suspended his primary campaign for the District’s Attorney General position. This after the DC Board of Elections ruled that McDuffie was not eligible because he did not meet the statutory minimum qualifications for the position. The decision came after his opponent, Bruce V. Spiva, challenged the legitimacy of McDuffie’s candidacy, saying the councilman has not “actively engaged, for at least 5 of the 10 years as an attorney in the practice of law in the District of Columbia.”
Before his resignation from DC Council in early January, McDuffie served as the council chairman pro tempore and he chaired the council’s Economic Development Committee and was among the first four councilmembers to support Bowser’s deal to redevelop the RFK stadium site and bring the Washington Commanders back to the District.
“Serving on the D.C. Council has been the honor of my lifetime,” stated Councilmember McDuffie. “Together, we’ve passed laws that expanded economic security and opportunity, protected residents’ rights, and positioned our city for long-term success. I am deeply grateful to my colleagues, staff, advocates and residents across all eight wards who made this work possible day in and day out.”
McDuffie attended Howard University and went on to receive his Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law. He later worked for DC Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton and as a trial lawyer for the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. He also worked as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Prince George’s County.
DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson says the council will vote on a replacement for McDuffie by this month. The nominee must be an independent like McDuffie or a registered Republican.
It is likely that McDuffie will change his party affiliation for his mayoral run.
McDuffie is the second high-profile candidate who has announced his bid for mayor. Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George announced her campaign last month.