DC Mayor Muriel Bowser, longest serving Black woman in role, will not seek releection after a decade in office

“Being the first Black woman to serve three consecutive terms–and while Trump has been in the White House–is a powerful statement about progress, resilience, and fight,” former D.C. Deputy Mayor Courtney Snowden told theGrio.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, who made history as the first Black woman to serve three consecutive terms in the nation’s capital, will not seek re-election in next year’s mayoral election. Bowser, 53, announced her decision on Tuesday in a video message.

“It has been the honor of my life to be your Mayor. Together, we have built a legacy of success of which I am intensely proud. With a grateful heart, I am announcing that I will not seek a fourth term. For the next 12 months, let’s run through the tape and keep winning for DC,” Bowser said in a caption.

In her video message, the D.C. mayor highlighted her achievements in office, including increasing the graduation rates of D.C. public schools, significantly expanding the number of housing units, and achieving historically low unemployment rates.

“We’ve accomplished what we set out to accomplish,” Bowser told The Washington Post ahead of her announcement. The three-term mayor said she decided to step aside after securing one of her latest wins, securing a deal to build a new NFL stadium.

Often referred to as a “pragmatic” leader, something Bowser said she used to scoff at and believes is unfairly used against women leaders, Mayor Bowser told the Post, “I used to hate it…but that’s kind of the job of being mayor.”

She explained, “Like it’s not to be an ideologue. It is to run down the middle, bring people from the fringes inside, and get things done. And I think that’s how we approach the work.”

Bowser’s pragmatist label was front and center when President Donald Trump declared a federal emergency in Washington, D.C., and deployed the National Guard, surging federal law enforcement throughout the city. Rather than forcefully clash with Trump and risk further escalation of threats against D.C.’s home rule, Bowser collaborated with the Trump administration in an effort to address crime in the city. However, she remained critical of the president’s use of the military and maintained there was “no emergency” in the district of more than 700,000 residents.

“Whether you’ve agreed or disagreed with Muriel Bowser’s agenda for DC, there’s no denying she has accomplished it during her three terms as mayor,” Markus Batchelor, a D.C. native and political director at People For the American Way, told theGrio.

“From a new hospital in Ward 8 and a new stadium at RFK, to her big investment goals in housing and the downtown, her plans are complete or very close. On top of confronting the instability of three presidencies, a pandemic, and a pubic safety crisis, getting to this point with an agenda intact is a minor miracle,” said Batchelor.

He added, “That’s a solid record historically, a good run politically, and an appropriate time to make room for new vision and new leadership.”

Courtney Snowden, a former D.C. deputy mayor who served under Mayor Bowser, described Bowser’s three terms in office as a “transformative period for Washington, D.C., particularly for Black Washingtonians.”

“Her tenure underscores the significance of representation but also highlights the profound impact that Black women can have in positions of power. Being the first Black woman to serve three consecutive terms–and while Trump has been in the White House–is a powerful statement about progress, resilience, and fight,” Snowden told theGrio.

“Mayor Bowser’s achievements serve as an inspiring example of what can be accomplished when Black women are at the forefront of governance, shaping a city that reflects the values and needs of all its residents.”