Janeese Lewis George

Janeese Lewis George
George in 2019
Member of the Council of the District of Columbia from Ward 4
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 2, 2021
Preceded byBrandon Todd
Personal details
Born (1988-04-30) April 30, 1988
Washington, D.C., U.S.
PartyDemocratic
Other political
affiliations		Democratic Socialists of America
Spouse
Kyle George
​
(m. 2019)​
EducationSt. John's University (BA)
Howard University (JD)
WebsiteOfficial website

Janeese Lewis George (born April 30, 1988) is an American lawyer, politician, and activist in Washington, D.C. She is the member of the Council of the District of Columbia from Ward 4.[1] She is a member of the Democratic Party.[2]

Elected in November 2020, she became the first self-described democratic socialist to serve as a member of the Council since Hilda Mason was defeated for re-election in 1998.[3][1] Lewis George is running for mayor of the District of Columbia in the 2026 election.

Early life and career

Lewis George was born in Washington, D.C., the daughter of a postal worker, and attended the School Without Walls in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood.[4] She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics and government from St. John's University.[5] She earned a Juris Doctor from the Howard University School of Law, working as a waitress to pay her tuition.[6][7]

After graduating from law school, Lewis George worked as a prosecutor in Philadelphia[8] In 2014, she returned to D.C. to care for her ailing father and served in the office of Attorney General of the District of Columbia, Karl Racine.[9] Lewis George was a member of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1403 while working at the Attorney General's office.[10] As a juvenile prosecutor in DC, she used experiences from losing peers to violence during her upbringing to help her colleagues.[8] Before launching her campaign for the council, she worked for the District of Columbia State Board of Education.[7]

Political career

D.C. Council

In 2019, Lewis George launched her campaign for the Council of the District of Columbia. Lewis George was the subject of attack ads by Democrats for Education Reform, an advocacy group that supports charter schools, over claims that she would defund the police.[11] She was endorsed by a significant number of progressive groups, including Black Lives Matter, the Working Families Party and the Democratic Socialists of America.[12]

Lewis George was the first candidate to reach the limit in matching funds through the District's public financing program since it was initiated. The program provides matching funds but limits donations to $50 per supporter, of which she had almost 1,200 by March 2020.[6] On June 2, she defeated incumbent Brandon Todd by an 11.7-point margin. She was elected to the Council of the District of Columbia in November 2020.[1]

2026 mayoral election

On December 1, 2025, Lewis George announced her candidacy for mayor of the District of Columbia in the 2026 election.[13]

Political views

Lewis George describes herself as a democratic socialist.[14]

Childcare

During her 2026 mayoral campaign, she released a plan to create a subsidy for universal childcare.[15][14]

Housing

In April 2022, Lewis George introduced two bills inspired by the Green New Deal. The bills would create an agency to construct and maintain mixed-income social housing, and accelerate the removal of lead pipes.[16] Lewis George introduced the Extreme Heat Eviction Prevention Act of 2025, which would prevent tenant evictions on days when the temperature is predicted to be above 95 degrees.[17] She supports the creation of a social housing model of publicly owned and subsidized mixed-income housing.[14]

Personal life

Lewis George is married to Kyle George, whom she met at a high school graduation party and married in 2019.[8]

Electoral history

2020 Council of the District of Columbia, Ward 4, Democratic primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Janeese Lewis George 10,965 54.76
Democratic Brandon Todd (incumbent) 8,624 43.07
Democratic Marlena Edwards 411 2.05

[18]

2020 Council of the District of Columbia, Ward 4, general election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Janeese Lewis George 38,990 91.76
Green Perry Redd 2,434 5.73
Write-in 1065 2.51

[19]

2024 Council of the District of Columbia, Ward 4, Democratic primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Janeese Lewis George 10,683 66.23
Democratic Lisa Gore 4,543 28.16
Democratic Paul Johnson 848 5.26
Write-in 57 0.35

[20]

2024 Council of the District of Columbia, Ward 4, general election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Janeese Lewis George 36.319 96.64
Write-in 1,262 3.36

[21]

References

  1. ^ a b c Nirappil, Fenit (November 4, 2020). "How Christina Henderson won a D.C. Council seat: Outreach to women, moderate police views and a positive campaign". The Washington Post.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Live results: 2020 District of Columbia Council primaries". The Washington Post. June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  3. ^ Reid J. Epstein; Jennifer Medina; Nick Corasaniti (June 3, 2020). "Historic Wins for Women of Color as Nation Protests Systemic Racism". New York Times. New York. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  4. ^ Steinhardt, Ruth (May 14, 2021). "School Without Walls Celebrates 50 Years". George Washington University. Retrieved June 9, 2022.
  5. ^ "Meet Janeese". Janeese 4 DC. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Giambrone, Andrew (March 18, 2020). "First Candidate Claims To Max Out Public Financing Funds For D.C. Elections". DCist. Washington DC. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  7. ^ a b Zauzmer, Julie (May 23, 2020). "In Ward 4 council race, a moderate incumbent faces a progressive challenger". Washington Post. Washington DC. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c Zauzmer, Julie (June 19, 2020). "Janeese Lewis George, the democratic socialist who beat one of the D.C. mayor's allies, says she'll be a pragmatic council member". Washington Post. Washington DC. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  9. ^ Nirappil, Fenit (August 8, 2019). "D.C. lawmaker Brandon Todd ramps up reelection campaign, draws first challenger". Washington Post. Washington DC. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  10. ^ "Former AFGE Member Janeese Lewis George Overwhelmingly Wins D.C. Council Race". www.afge.org. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  11. ^ Cohen, Rachel (June 4, 2020). "A PROGRESSIVE CHALLENGER WAS ATTACKED FOR CALLING TO DEFUND THE POLICE. SHE WON ANYWAY". Intercept. Washington DC. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  12. ^ Nirappil, Fenit (June 3, 2020). "Brandon Todd loses his D.C. Council seat, and voters soundly reject Jack Evans". Washington Post. Washington DC. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  13. ^ Gathright, Jenny (December 1, 2025). "D.C. Council member Janeese Lewis George to run for mayor". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 1, 2025.
  14. ^ a b c Flynn, Meagan; Gathright, Jenny (March 8, 2026). "As D.C.'s mayor race heats up, stark contrasts emerge in the two front-runners". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
  15. ^ Gathright, Jenny (February 16, 2026). "D.C. mayoral hopeful pledges more affordable child care amid shrinking budgets". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
  16. ^ Gomez, Amanda Michelle (April 26, 2022). "Ward 4 Councilmember Introduces D.C. 'Green New Deal' Bills For Housing And Lead Pipe Removal". DCist. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
  17. ^ Brady, Ranee (January 6, 2026). "How environmental inequity contributes to housing instability". Street Sense Media. Retrieved January 15, 2026.
  18. ^ "DCBOE Election Results". electionresults.dcboe.org. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  19. ^ "DCBOE Election Results". electionresults.dcboe.org. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  20. ^ "DCBOE Election Results". electionresults.dcboe.org. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  21. ^ "DCBOE Election Results". electionresults.dcboe.org. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
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