Incumbent lawmakers survive challenges in D.C. primary election

Shortly after 9 p.m., the crowded Ward 7 contest was still too close to call. Council member Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2) ran unopposed.

Before the polls opened Tuesday, voters had cast more than 52,000 ballots during the early-voting period, with more than half arriving by mail and nearly 18,500 more put into drop boxes. Most races this year were not citywide elections, with just some wards involved in the most competitive contests.

Carlos Murrell, 60, noted the importance in deep-blue D.C. of the Democratic primary — which often determines the winners in November.

“Many people ignore these primaries,” Murrell, a D.C. government employee, said before casting his vote Tuesday. “These are the ones that impact you.”

Ward 7

Ward 7 has been the center of the most captivating race in this year’s election cycle, as 10 candidates jockeyed to succeed council member Vincent C. Gray (D), who is not running for reelection amid health challenges.

Crime, education, housing, the ward’s economy and the future of the RFK Stadium complex have been key issues in this race.

Adding to the intrigue: Ward 7 added thousands of residents after a redistricting process that stretched its border farther west across the Anacostia River. In recent days, some candidates in the field looked to separate themselves from the pack through strategic ads and last-minute endorsement announcements, including from sitting members of the council.

The crowded contest left many voters struggling to make a choice, including Kingman Park resident Marty Smith, 42, who said he wished the city had ranked-choice voting or a runoff system to winnow the options. Housing, crime, education and transportation were the most important issues to him, but he thought most of his four favorite candidates held fairly similar views on those.

“There was not a lot of differentiation,” Smith said outside Miner Elementary School late Tuesday morning. He eventually landed on Ebony Payne, an advisory neighborhood commissioner, as his pick.

Wes Bushrod, 57, said a single issue was front of mind: crime.

“Kids stealing cars, the murders and the guns — something has to change,” said Bushrod, a military veteran who voted for Kelvin Brown. “I don’t know if you have to put two policemen on every block, but we need ideas.”

Ty Powell, a charter school employee, said she was looking for someone who could shake up the status quo when it comes to education in the ward.

Veda Rasheed, Powell said, “made the best case” — with fresh ideas on education and affordable housing, namely to make sure native Washingtonians can afford to live in all the new developments.

Ward 8

In Ward 8, Trayon White Sr. (D) was projected to win in a race that pitted the lawmaker, who was first elected in 2016, against two challengers who argued that the ward’s lingering troubles call for new leadership.

While some voters were itching for change or said that White had not responded to their needs, many said they were happy with White’s leadership, often pointing to the grass roots style that has long made him popular.

Jerome Kennedy, 61, cast his ballot at Anacostia Senior High School for White, noting that he’s the only candidate considered a “front line soldier.”

“He’s from the neighborhood. He’s here. He’s one of us,” said Kennedy, an outreach worker. “You’ll see him walking the streets, whether you like him or not.”

Brian and LaTanya Hilliard, a married couple who cast their votes at THEARC, similarly highlighted White’s presence at community events, like food giveaways and at scenes following tragic violence.

“He’s in the trenches,” said LaTanya, 52. “He shows up. It is a lot of murders that happen on this side, and he’s not scared to show up. He ain’t scared to talk to the people on the streets.”

White’s support spanned generations — from a 91-year-old who felt White could make a difference “now that he has his feet wet,” to a 31-year-old who said White “has a name, and you’ve got to respect it.”

The Ward 8 race wasn’t without its share of drama: In early May, White’s campaign said it was starting from “ground zero” from a fundraising standpoint as he navigated significant fines that the Office of Campaign Finance imposed on two of his past campaign committees, including his 2022 mayoral run.

Kennedy acknowledged that White had made missteps over the years, he still deserved the Democratic nomination because of his experience on the council.

“He’s working and growing as a politician,” Kennedy said. “As he gets older, he’ll get a little wiser. … One day, he should be mayor.”

Ward 4

Ward 4′s Lewis George (D), up for reelection for the first time since she joined the council after the 2020 election, was projected to win Tuesday against two challengers in a race where public safety frequently emerged as a top concern.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Lewis George thanked her constituents for their loyalty — including knocking on 31,000 doors over the course of her eight-month campaign.

“To everyone who has been a part of this, I could not have done it without you," she wrote.

While her opponents, Paul Johnson, a municipal investment banker, and Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Lisa Gore, had sought to portray Lewis George as too liberal on matters around public safety — some residents cited Lewis George’s response to crime as the reason they backed her. Others praised her office’s constituent services, adding that her staff felt particularly responsive.

Tyler Brockington, 29, and Otis Pitney, 34, said they agreed with Lewis George’s more holistic approach to reducing crime, pushing for funding for social services programs that address the root causes while also tending to the concerns of other residents.

“We have a neighborhood Listserv, and her and her team are monitoring it and respond to people’s concerns,” Brockington said. “They’re really engaged, and that can be really hard to find, especially in other council members.”

Healey Sutton, 44, was also among the Lewis George supporters on Tuesday. This spring, after Mayor Muriel E. Bowser proposed scrapping funding for the city’s Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund — a program that pays stipends to day care teachers — Sutton was disappointed. So she emailed Lewis George, and told her the program shouldn’t be cut.

Unlike other council members that Sutton messaged, Lewis George responded and said she agreed. It was a small gesture that earned another vote.

Gwendolyn Harper, 43, also voted for Lewis George. But after a spate of local car jackings, robberies and shootings that had her walking to the ballot booth with a can of pepper spray attached to her hip, Harper said she’s not feeling especially optimistic about anyone in local office, despite appreciating Lewis George’s regular updates on such incidents.

“I just feel like you’re never safe no matter where you go; there is no calm place anymore,” she said. “It would be great if all of the council members could come up with a strategic plan.”

At-large and other races

Robert C. White Jr.'s projected win of the Democratic primary for his at-large council seat was against opponent Rodney “Red” Grant — an entertainer and comedian who along with Robert White unsuccessfully ran for D.C. mayor two years ago.

Robert White had pitched voters on his leadership of the council’s housing committee and other legislative proposals. Grant sought to convince voters that he was more in tune with the city’s youths, and some supporters praised his ideas to increase vocational training opportunities for students.

At the Emery Heights Community Center in Ward 4, Arcynta Childs, 43, said constituent service and experience drove her to vote for Robert White. While the incumbent has worked to address crime and other issues, such as housing affordability, she said, she hasn’t seen Grant do much more than run for various offices.

“The most I know about him is that he’s a comedian, but that’s not a position we’re electing people for,” she said.

In the federal contest for D.C.'s House delegate, Norton was projected to easily best Kelly Mikel Williams, who has previously challenged her.

For some, voting for Norton was the obvious choice.

“Eleanor Holmes Norton is definitely still gonna be in office — she’s awesome,” said 40-year-old Jonathan Haman, noting how the 33-year incumbent has been in office almost his whole life.

Voters also selected candidates for D.C.’s “shadow” senator and representative on Tuesday.

This story is developing and will be updated.

Katie Shepherd, Antonio Olivo, Omari Daniels, Teo Armus, Danny Nguyen, Jasmine Hilton, Lauren Lumpkin, Kyle Swenson, Erin Cox and Jenny Gathright contributed to this report.