Muriel Bowser has been mayor of the nation’s capital since 2015. Her decision to step away comes as she faces challenges presented during President Donald Trump’s second term in office.
Why did Bowser decide against reelection bid? Washington Post reporter Meagan Flynn shares insight with WTOP anchors Anne Kramer and Shawn Anderson.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Tuesday she will not be running for a fourth term as mayor.
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DC Mayor Muriel Bowser will not run for fourth term
Bowser has been mayor of the nation’s capital since 2015.
“With a grateful heart, I am announcing that I will not seek a fourth term,” Bowser said in a video posted on X Tuesday afternoon.
Her decision to step away comes as she faces challenges presented during President Donald Trump’s second term in office, including the White House’s deployment of National Guard members into D.C. and efforts to downsize the federal workforce.
“Throughout this remarkable journey, I’ve been honored to serve with countless dedicated city executives and extraordinary front line workers, the incredible people who keep D.C. thriving every single day for their bold vision, big ideas, personal sacrifices and relentless pursuit of excellence in service to the city. I am deeply grateful,” Bowser said.
Council member Kenyan McDuffie, who’s a potential candidate for the office said Bowser has worked hard on economic development — including bringing the Commanders back to D.C.
He said she’s had a big impact.
McDuffie noted that Bowser has focused on “investments in housing and trying to expand affordable housing in every Ward.”
Who will be DC’s next mayor?
Her third and final term as mayor will end in January 2027.
She will step aside before a major project comes to fruition in 2030: the Washington Commanders new stadium at the old RFK Stadium site. Bowser had spearheaded the deal and long advocated for the football team to return to the District.
“We’ve laid the groundwork for others to build upon, to reshape and grow D.C.’s economy, establish D.C. as the 51st state and protect our investments in affordable housing, transportation, public safety and public schools, and to build a world class stadium, housing, recreation and parks at RFK,” Bowser said.
Questions about Bowser’s political future have swirled in recent months, and the D.C. mayor had previously declined to directly answer whether she’d run for reelection.
Her decision to step away from the mayor’s office sets the stage for a major political battle in the District as voters elect a new leader to the vacated office next year.
According to reports ahead of the mayor’s announcement, Council members Kenyan McDuffie and Janeese Lewis George are considering mayoral bids.
Meanwhile, fellow D.C. Council members Robert White Jr. and Brooke Pinto have announced plans to run for Congress to fill longtime Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton’s seat.
In an interview with WTOP, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said of the mayor, “There’s a lot that she’s accomplished, and the city owes a lot to her for the services she’s given.”
“The federal government, as everybody knows, has become much more hostile toward the District. That’s been hard on all of the elected officials, but especially on the mayor as the leader of the city; but also she’s been the target of a lot of MAGA nastiness. Yes, it’s been hard on her,” Mendelson said.
Council member Trayon White Sr. said Bowser’s announcement “gives our city a chance to reset its priorities,” and hopes the next mayor has a “clear agenda” to help poor and working-class residents.
Council member Charles Allen said in a post on X, “Her commitment and dedication to her hometown is unquestioned. Public service can take everything you have to give.”
Ward 4 council member George told WTOP in a statement: “Mayor Bowser has served the District faithfully — first as an ANC Commissioner, then as a Councilmember, and now as a three-term Mayor. She has guided our city through difficult times, secured important investments, and worked hard to strengthen our communities.”
In a post on X, council member Robert White said, “Although we sometimes had strong differences of opinion and vision when it comes to the District, I thank @Mayor Bowser for her service to the city during these difficult times.”
Bowser has not offered a suggestion on who should succeed her as D.C.’s mayor.
The election will be held in November 2026.
Bowser looks to future while praising DC’s progress
In announcing her decision about the mayoral election, Bowser listed some of her accomplishments during her time in office.
“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,” Bowser said.
Bowser spotlighted the city’s completion of the largest infrastructure in its history, the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge.
She also mentioned improvements to the area’s economy, such as record low unemployment rates and achieving a “AAA” bond rating. Of course, moves to cut federal jobs have impacted D.C.’s economy; credit rating agency Moody downgraded the District‘s previous “AAA” credit rating to “Aa1” in April 2025.
D.C. reporter Meagan Flynn with the Washington Post told WTOP that in her interview with the mayor, Bowser “did not share any of her plans after she leaves office in early 2027.”
Final term as mayor marked by challenges from federal intervention
The job market has also taken a blow and the city has seen a rise in the number of homes for sale since June 2024.
Other federal actions have presented challenges for Bowser, too.
In August, Trump issued an executive order that deployed National Guard troops to D.C. and federalized D.C. police with the stated goal of reducing crime.
Bowser has worked to balance District residents’ concerns about federal law enforcement agencies’ presence against a desire to stay on good terms with the president.
In her video statement, Bowser praised the District’s strength.
“We also brought our city back from the ravages of a pandemic and summoned our collective strength to stand tall against police who threaten our very autonomy while preserving home rule that is our north star,” Bowser said in a video statement.
Some of those National Guard troops remain in the District as a legal battle over their deployment continues.
Congress also presented budget issues for Bowser in the spring, when the U.S. House passed a federal government funding bill that would force D.C.’s government to revert to its 2024 spending levels. That effectively cut $1 billion in funding for the District.
“Considering the city’s really tenuous situation right now, with threats to its home rule, you have more than a dozen bills moving through the GOP-controlled Congress right now that would change D.C. policies. And so, I think a lot of the federal relationship with the Trump administration is going to play a huge role in this campaign,” Flynn said of the 2026 election.
The budget gap led to months of back and forth between federal lawmakers, Bowser and the D.C. Council, and reportedly delayed the passage of the 2026 budget.
D.C. is granted limited home rule under a 1973 agreement, but the U.S. Congress has control over approving the District’s budget and laws.
Bowser’s last day in office will be Jan. 2, 2027.
“For the next 12 months, let’s run through the tape and keep winning for D.C.,” Bowser said.
WTOP’s Alan Etter contributed to this report.
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