Consider this juxtaposition: In a few weeks, Washington, DC will be the epicenter for America’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. A few months later, Washington, DC will likely be led by a democratic socialist for the first time ever.
As of now, democratic socialist Janeese Lewis George has a commanding lead in the Democratic Party’s primary election for mayor of the nation’s capital, which occurred on June 16.
Lewis George, the first and only democratic socialist member on the DC City Council since the late 1990s, says her “people-first platform” will “improve the lives of the people in DC…by strategically and effectively utilizing all that the government can offer and do.”
Specifically, she wants the government to provide “childcare for all,” “affordable utilities for all,” “arts and culture for all,” “reliable transportation for all,” “good jobs for all,” and “homes for all.”
Conveniently, she never spoke about how much this would cost or how she plans to pay for it. However, it is safe to assume that she will champion taxes on the rich as the panacea.
But the District of Columbia is different than other urban enclaves, like New York City and Seattle, which elected democratic socialist mayors last year.
Unlike those cities, the District of Columbia is governed under the Home Rule Act of 1973. According to the law, “Congress reviews all legislation passed by the Council before it can become law and retains authority over the District’s budget.”
Thus, Lewis George, should she win the mayoral race, would have to cooperate with the U.S. Congress to pass her democratic socialist agenda.
I suspect this is a main reason that Lewis George frequently said “DC autonomy and DC statehood are non-negotiables” throughout the campaign.
To be fair, Mayor Muriel Bowser has at least tried to put DC’s budget a more sustainable trajectory. Bowser, who has served as mayor of DC for more than a decade, proposed a budget earlier this year that would cut spending by 3.7 percent.
“I think we all have to be clear-headed about where we are and what it will take to keep growing,” she said after balancing the budget and closing a $1.1 billion shortfall.
For context, DC’s budget has far outpaced population growth over the past decade. In 2017, DC’s total budget was $13.4 billion for approximately 694,000 residents. In 2026, the budget ballooned to $21.8 billion for approximately 698,000 residents.
Unsurprisingly, most of the money, 34.3 percent, goes to “human support services.” In second place, 19.6 percent goes to “public education.” On the other hand, only 8.9 percent and 7.6 percent is allotted for “infrastructure” and “public safety,” respectively.
Interestingly, Bowser has called for a more business-friendly environment. She knows that economic growth, not crippling taxes, is the only long-term solution.
Moreover, the current mayor refused to endorse Lewis George and instead endorsed the more moderate candidate.
Alas, Bowser’s endorsement of the more reasonable candidate could not overcome the momentum of the democratic socialist. This primary season, we are seeing democratic socialists cruise to victory throughout the country.
Sadly, democratic socialist Janeese Lewis George is just the latest in a long line of collectivists who look to be locks in the upcoming mid-term election. As America celebrates its historic 250th birthday, democratic socialism is surging.
However, the American republic and democratic socialism are antithetical. The principles and values of America’s founding are contrary to the core philosophy of democratic socialism.
The Declaration of Independence changed the world by asserting that all people have unalienable rights that are not derived from government. Despite her so-called people-first platform, democratic socialists like Janeese Lewis George want to reverse that relationship and make the government, not the individual, omnipotent.
Chris Talgo is the Editorial Director for The Heartland Institute and a fellow for Heartland’s Glenn C. Haskins Emerging Issues Center.
