Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who has long been a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ community, announced on November 25 that she will not run for a fourth term.
Since first taking office as mayor in January 2015, Bowser has been an outspoken advocate on a wide range of LGBTQ-related issues, including marriage equality and services for LGBTQ youth and seniors.
Local LGBTQ advocates also praised Bowser for his leadership role in arranging extensive city support in the city’s role as host of World Pride 2025, which saw dozens of LGBTQ events held across the city in May and June.
She is also credited with expanding the size and funding of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, which was created as a Cabinet-level office by the D.C. Council in 2006 under then-Mayor Anthony Williams’ administration.
It was originally called the Office of Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Affairs. At Bowser’s request, the D.C. Council agreed in 2016 to change the name to the Office of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Inquiry Issues as part of the fiscal year 2016 budget proposal.
Like many of his appearances at LGBTQ events, Bowser last month greeted thousands of people attending the annual LGBTQ Halloween 17th Street High Heel Race from the stage by shouting that D.C. is “the gayest city in the world.”
In a statement released after she announced she would not run for a fourth term, Bowser reflected on her years as mayor.
“It has been the honor of my life to be your mayor,” she said. “Ten years ago, when you trusted me, you gave me an incredible opportunity to make a positive impact on my hometown,” her statement continues.
“Together, you and I have built a legacy of success, of which I am extremely proud. My term ends on January 2, 2027, but until then, let’s roll through the tapes and keep winning for DC,” her statement concluded.
Among the LGBTQ advocates who commented on Bowser’s decision not to run for mayor again was Howard Garrett, chairman of the Capital Stonewall Democratic Party of Washington, D.C., one of the city’s largest local LGBTQ political groups.
“I can tell you from a personal standpoint that Mayor Bowser has been very supportive of the LGBTQ community,” Garrett told the Washington Blade. “I think she’s done a great job of making sure our community is protected and making sure we have the resources we need to protect it in terms of housing, public safety and other areas.”
Garrett also praised Bowser’s appointment of LGBTQ advocate Japer Bowles as director of the Office of LGBTQ Affairs.
“Under the mayor’s leadership, Japer has done a great job of making sure we have what we need and making sure other organizations have what they need to thrive,” Garrett said.
Cesar Toledo, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based Wanda Alston Foundation, which provides housing services to homeless LGBTQ youth, credits Bowser with transforming the Office of LGBTQ Affairs into “the largest and most influential community affairs agency of its kind in the nation, investing more than $1 million annually in life-saving programs.”
Toledo added, “Thanks to the consistent support of Mayor Bowser and his administration, the Wanda Alston Foundation has strengthened and expanded its housing and counseling programs to ensure that gay and transgender youth at higher risk receive the safety, stability, and life-saving care they deserve.”
Peter Rosenstein, a gay Democratic activist, is among those with mixed reactions to Bowser’s decision not to run again.
“I feel sorry for the city, but I’m glad she can now focus on her family and her wonderful daughter,” Rosenstein said.
“She worked hard and did great things for D.C.,” Rosenstein added. “These include being an avid supporter of the LGBTQ community, working to rebuild schools, recreation centers and libraries, acquiring the city’s RFK site, and upholding the Household Rule. She will be a very difficult act to follow.”
Local gay activist David Hoffman is among those in the city who have criticized Bowser for not taking stronger, more vocal positions criticizing President Donald Trump on a wide range of issues, including Trump’s decision to deploy the National Guard to patrol the streets of Washington, D.C. Before Bowser announced he would not run for mayor, Hoffman said he would not support Bowser’s re-election and would urge the LGBTQ community to support another mayoral candidate.
Bowser supporters argued that Bowser’s interactions with the Trump-Vance administration, including her cautious stance on censuring the president, were based on her and other city officials’ desire to protect the interests of Washington, D.C., and D.C. self-government. They point out that Trump supporters, including Republican lawmakers, are calling on the president to reduce or eliminate autonomous governance in Washington, D.C.
Most political observers predict a tight race among the sizable number of candidates expected to run in the 2026 D.C. mayoral race. Two D.C. City Council members said they were considering running for mayor before Bowser withdrew.
Among them are City Councilwoman Janice Lewis George (D-4th District), who identifies as a democratic socialist, and City Councilwoman Kenyan McDuffie (I-At-Large), who is considered a political moderate who supports local businesses. Both have expressed strong support for the LGBTQ community.
In an interview, Bowser declined to say whether he would support a candidate to replace him or what his plans are after he leaves office, the Washington Post reported.
One reason she won’t run again is because “I accomplished what I set out to do,” she told the Post.
Source: Washington Blade: LGBTQ News, Politics, LGBTQ Rights, Gay News – www.washingtonblade.com
