WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� , the mayor of Washington, D.C., announced on Tuesday that she will not be seeking re-election next year, a decision that came as she has had to confront a into her city launched by President Donald Trump.
Bowser announced her decision in a video posted to social media, where she did not mention Trump or directly address his steps against the city. She applauded the cooperation with residents to make the city a better place to live and called on them to 鈥渟ummon our collective strength to stand tall against bullies who threaten our very autonomy while preserving Home Rule. That is our North Star.鈥�
Bowser has served three terms since being first elected in 2014, none more tumultuous than the last year, when she found herself between staying in Trump鈥檚 good graces and several states, despite legal action against the military deployment.
Bowser struck a balancing act between Trump and her constituents
with the administration鈥檚 efforts, including having city workers clear homeless encampments and work more closely with federal immigration agents. She acknowledged that the intervention had helped reduce crime in the city, which was already on the decline, but also criticized the deployment of the D.C. National Guard, saying those resources would be better spent on other matters. She also said the city would not cooperate with immigration enforcement operations in the city.
She faced criticism from constituents and some in her council for not standing up stronger to the Trump, who has lauded the D.C. mission as a resounding success.
Asked about Bowser鈥檚 decision not to run for reelection Tuesday evening, Trump said, 鈥淚 got along with her very well.鈥� Trump said that made the city 鈥渂etter.鈥�
The district, , currently has a lawsuit against the administration, charging that the deployment of the National Guard is illegal. Nov. 20 and ordered that the deployment end. The administration filed a notice of appeal Tuesday to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Another set of plaintiffs is challenging the federal surge and the roundups being conducted by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Bowser sparred with Congress but notched achievements
The mayor, a former city council member, also spent a large part of the year trying to get the House to release about that was frozen during battles over the federal budget. In addition, the city also bore the brunt of significant cuts to the federal workforce by the Department of Government Efficiency.
鈥淔or ten 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,鈥� she said in her announcement. Among her accomplishments were her role in bringing the NFL franchise back into the city, along with plans for , as well as her part in keeping the district’s NBA and NHL teams.
Bowser came under fire early this year when she announced that the plaza painted on the street one block from the White House would be removed to pressure from Republicans in Congress.
Bowser’s decision opens the door for a number of possible candidates, although at least two of them, D.C. Council members Robert White Jr. and Brooke Pinto, have already announced they are running for the district’s U.S. House delegate seat. Fellow council member Janeese Lewis George remains a potential candidate.
Matthew Dallek, a historian and professor of political management at George Washington University, said this past year has been one of the most intrusive and 鈥渉eavy handed鈥� in terms of the federal government’s involvement 鈥渋n the day to day of the city’s politics and the city’s life. None of it is to make an excuse for Bowser鈥� but the city’s lack of control over its own affairs has been clearly evident. Dallek called the moment 鈥渁 pretty precarious time for the city.鈥�
City council member Kenyan R. McDuffie thanked Bowser in a statement and praised her efforts in housing, education, public safety and economic development.
鈥淎s we look ahead to the upcoming year for the District, I have no doubt that Mayor Bowser will continue to be a tireless partner in improving the quality of life for all residents across the city,鈥� McDuffie said.
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Associated Press writes Ashraf Khalil and Fatima Hussein in Washington contributed.
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This story has been corrected to say that Mayor Muriel Bowser was elected in 2014, not 2015. This story also corrects the spelling of the first name of the D.C. council member. It is Janeese Lewis George, not Janesse Lewis George.
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