Follow 海角社区app鈥檚 team coverage of the聽D.C. primary and Election 2026聽online, on air at 103.5 FM or on the聽海角社区app 海角社区app app.
The president was sort of led into a question about the race for mayor in D.C., with the questioner on Thursday talking about Janeese Lewis George’s perceived efforts to be a D.C. version of New York City鈥檚 socialist-leaning mayor, Zohran Mamdani.
But that鈥檚 all it took for President Donald Trump to threaten a takeover of D.C. should voters put the Ward 4 council member in the mayor鈥檚 office this year.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 like it鈥� if Lewis George wins, Trump told reporters.
If it happens, 鈥渕aybe we鈥檒l take back Washington and run it on a federal basis. We won鈥檛 put up with it. We鈥檙e not going to lose our businesses.鈥�
However, the message might not play like the president hoped it would with D.C. residents.
鈥淭hey know how they feel about Donald Trump,鈥� said Keneshia Grant, an associate professor of political science at Howard University. 鈥淚f it is the case that Donald Trump doesn’t like Janeese Lewis George, then it might tell them, 鈥極K, me and Donald Trump usually disagree, I’m going to support Janeese Lewis George, because I know that I would disagree with Donald Trump on this.鈥欌��
A recent poll put Lewis George in the lead, thanks to a younger, whiter base of voters who are newer to D.C. They鈥檙e also more progressive and really don鈥檛 like the president.
鈥淚f those people are turning out in greatest numbers, then yes, she had a fantastic day yesterday,鈥� Grant said about Lewis George. 鈥淕etting the president on the record for this was good for her.鈥�
In addition, it could also reinforce to voters a connection the Janeese Lewis George campaign has tried to forge between the other front-runner in the race, former D.C. Councilman Kenyan McDuffie.
海角社区app sent a questionnaire to all the candidates in each contested race, asking them to introduce themselves to voters.聽Read their responses here.
Her campaign has been suggesting that a small number of donations given to McDuffie鈥檚 campaign from people who have also donated to the president is indicative of a closer alignment with the president鈥檚 policies, which are not popular in D.C.
For his part, McDuffie has been forceful about denying that and vowing to fight for the city鈥檚 priorities and independence. He鈥檚 also adamant he鈥檚 no fan of the president either. But Grant said Trump鈥檚 words on Thursday might not help.
鈥淭his statement from the President from Donald Trump yesterday made that connection even closer,鈥� Grant said.
By making the claim that he doesn’t want to work with one of the front-runners, Grant said the average voter in the District may come to the conclusion that Trump would prefer to work with another candidate over Lewis George.
And voters who dislike Trump, may opt to vote against candidates he seemingly prefers.
However, voters who are really concerned about home rule might see it differently. That鈥檚 also the case if D.C.鈥檚 historical voting base, older Black residents who go back generations in the city, turns out in higher numbers for their preferred candidate, which is believed to be McDuffie.
鈥淚f the latter group is going to turn out more, then the statement yesterday, even though it came from Donald Trump, might be a big and important moment for Kenyan McDuffie,鈥� Grant said. 鈥淲hy is this the case? That second group of voters is worried about losing the city, and believe that a mayor could work together with Donald Trump, even though they might disagree with Donald Trump on everything, to keep home rule in place.
鈥淭his voter would assume that Donald Trump is telegraphing that I’m not necessarily going to take your city if I get a person who I think is a reasonable politician,鈥� she added. 鈥淎nd the implication is that Kenyan McDuffie is the reasonable politician.鈥�
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