ABOVE: Janeese Lewis George speaks to supporters on primary election night. Photo: Washington Metropolitan Council, AFL-CIO Instagram.
The results of the 2026 District of Columbia Democratic primary are in and the message from DC voters is undeniable: It is a new day for workers in the nation’s capital.
In an impressive display of political muscle, every single candidate endorsed by the Metropolitan Washington Council AFL-CIO won their races, signaling a decisive end to an era of DC politics that critics say too often prioritized corporate interests and big-money developers over the interests of renters, working families and vulnerable communities.
“We did it! We showed the world what happens when working people come together and demand a seat at the table,” said Samuel Epps, President of the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO, speaking to a raucous crowd at an election night victory party.
“We are excited for a new era in the District of Columbia, with leadership that prioritizes working-class residents.”
– Greg Akerman, President
Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council
“We are excited for a new era in the District of Columbia, with leadership that prioritizes working-class residents.”
– Greg Akerman, President
Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council
The incoming progressive-labor majority also supports Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) on large projects that include public funding, such as the RFK Stadium redevelopment.
“We are excited for a new era in the District of Columbia, with leadership that prioritizes working-class residents,” said Greg Akerman, President of the Baltimore-DC Metro Building Trades Council.
“Janeese Lewis George wants to make DC more affordable,” added Akerman, “by building more housing than ever before, attracting new industries, revitalizing our neighborhoods with an emphasis on Downtown and Southwest, and promoting high-quality job training for DC residents.“
Samuel Epps, President of the Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO, speaks to a raucous crowd at an election night victory party. Photo: Screenshot of Washington Metropolitan Council, AFL-CIO Instagram video.
The Labor-Backed Leaders Heading to City Hall
The 2026 primary was defined by the success of an insurgent progressive-labor coalition that built power over a decade of grassroots organizing. Leading this wave was Janeese Lewis George, who won the mayoral nomination with over 50% of the first-round vote, virtually guaranteeing she will become the District’s first democratic socialist mayor in November.
Joining her in this historic shift are several other labor allies:
- Robert White, who overwhelmingly won the primary race for D.C.’s non-voting delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Oye Owolewa, a pharmacist and Democratic Socialists of America member, who secured the nomination for an at-large council seat
- Aparna Raj, a tenant organizer who won a contentious race in Ward 1.
- Elissa Silverman, a staunch advocate for paid family leave, who successfully returned to the council in a special at-large election.
- Brian Schwalb, who secured a secured a resounding primary victory in the attorney general race, after a first term spent taking on slumlords, wage theft and monopolies.
Incumbents Charles Allen (Ward 6), Zachary Parker (Ward 5), and Matt Frumin (Ward 3) — all of whom have strong records of standing with educators and labor unions — also cruised to primary wins.
A solid majority of council primary winners strongly back PLAs, which are cornerstones of efforts to ensure public funding of large projects supports real career pathways for residents.
A solid majority of council primary winners strongly back PLAs, which are cornerstones of efforts to ensure public funding of large projects supports real career pathways for residents.
What This Means for Working Families
For years, many D.C. residents have felt left behind as the cost of living has skyrocketed and social programs were defunded. This election sweep offers a clear path forward in addressing those frustrations, through several key labor priorities:
- Fair Wages and Labor Protections: With labor-backed candidates now holding significant influence, there is a renewed push for a $25 minimum wage and the elimination of the tipped wage, as well as continued aggressive enforcement of DC’s wage theft laws.
- Project Labor Agreements and Local Hiring: Both Janeese Lewis George and a solid majority of council primary winners strongly back PLAs, which are cornerstones of efforts to ensure public funding of large projects supports real career pathways for residents, prioritizes local hiring and fosters high-quality, union-scale jobs.
- Real Affordability: The new progressive-labor bloc has committed to addressing the District’s affordability crisis by expanding access to universal childcare and affordable healthcare. Candidates like Aparna Raj have also championed rent freezes and the preservation of the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) to prevent the displacement of long-term residents.
Power in Numbers
This victory was not an accident. It was the result of thousands of hours of organizing by staff and volunteers from the AFL-CIO, local unions and community partners, who all spent months canvassing and phone-banking D.C. households.
“It was a resounding rejection of status-quo politics and an affirmation for a progressive vision for D.C. that fights for renters, workers, and immigrants,” Aparna Raj told The Washington Informer after the election.
Looking toward the fall general elections and 2027, the balance of power on the D.C. Council has clearly shifted. With a mayor and legislative majority more aligned with the needs of working families, the primary proved that the residents of Washington are ready for a government that works for all, not just for the wealthy and well-connected.