Muriel Bowser has served as the mayor of Washington, D.C. for the past decade. She first assumed office in January 2015 and won reelection for a second and third term in 2018 and 2022, respectively.
On Tuesday, Bowser announced that she will not be seeking a fourth term, sharing a video of the announcement on her X account.
It has been the honor of my life to be your Mayor. Together, we have built a legacy of success of which I am intensely proud.
With a grateful heart, I am announcing that I will not seek a fourth term.
For the next 12 months, let’s run through the tape and keep winning for DC. pic.twitter.com/q0wQWe0h2c
— Muriel Bowser (@MurielBowser) November 25, 2025
In the relatively brief video, Bowser states:
“My fellow Washingtonians, for 10 years, you and I have worked together on an ambitious agenda to restore faith in our government and ensure that every D.C. resident gets the fair shot they deserve. To keep that promise, 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.
“We delivered on big projects like McMillan and St. Elizabeth’s, and invested nearly $1 billion in Ward 8, including the brand new, full-service Cedar Hill regional medical center. We drove unemployment to its lowest levels, achieved a AAA bond rating and strong reserves, quadrupled CBE spending, and completed the largest infrastructure project in our city’s history with the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge.
“We also brought our city back from the ravages of a global pandemic, and summoned our collective strength to stand tall against bullies who threaten our very autonomy, while preserving home rule. That is our North Star.
“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 Washington D.C. thriving every day. For their bold vision, big ideas, personal sacrifices, and relentless pursuit of excellence in service to this city, I am deeply grateful.
“I’ve also had the immense privilege of working alongside all of you, the residents of D.C. Every day, I gain strength from witnessing your hard work, your ingenuity, and your pride in this city. You are the heartbeat of this place.
“Now, looking to the future, I know 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.
“It has been the honor of my life to be your mayor. But today, with a grateful heart, I am announcing that I will not seek a fourth term. When you placed your trust in me 10 years ago, you gave me an extraordinary opportunity to have a positive impact on my hometown. Every day since, I’ve cherished the opportunity and have happily given all my passion and energy to the job that I love.
“Together, you and I have built a legacy of success, of which I’m intensely proud, and for the next 12 months, let’s run through the tape and keep winning for D.C.”
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The seemingly veiled swipe at President Donald Trump regarding the preservation of home rule for D.C. notwithstanding, Bowser has largely worked cooperatively with the second Trump administration. Despite initially pushing back on the administration’s National Guard deployment in the city, Bowser later acknowledged the benefit their presence had on crime reduction.
In August, she admitted the success of the federal crime crackdown, noting she appreciated the surge of officers that “enhance what [the Metropolitan Police Department] has been able to do in this city.”
“Having more federal law enforcement officers on the street — [has led to] having more stops that got to illegal guns,” Bowser said during a prior news conference. “We think that there is more accountability in the system, or at least perceived accountability in the system, that is driving down illegal behavior. We know that we have had fewer gun crimes, fewer homicides, and we have experienced an extreme reduction in carjackings.”
In an interview with NBC’s Washington affiliate, Bowser shared her reasons for opting not to run again:
“It was time for me to pass the baton on to the next set of leaders who are going to take our city to the next level,” the mayor said in an interview with News4 at her home.
Bowser said she made the decision for her family. In the interview, she said now is the time to do something else while she still has a lot of energy, vigor and great ideas.
What’s next for Bowser? That remains to be seen. I don’t know if she holds national ambitions, but will simply note that D.C.’s current congressional delegate, Eleanor Holmes Norton, is 88 years old.
As for who is likely to run to replace Bowser, so far, the names being floated are D.C. Councilmembers Janeese Lewis George and Kenyan McDuffie.
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