Kenyan R. McDuffie, a top contender in the Democratic primary for D.C. mayor, picked up a prominent backer Thursday in former mayor Anthony Williams, known for steering the District into economic recovery after its rocky financial control board years.
Williams, who served as mayor from 1999 to 2007, remains influential in business circles as the president of the Federal City Council, a business and civic advocacy group. His support further underscores McDuffie’s appeal among the business class at a time the District’s economy is experiencing a period of distress caused by mass federal job cuts.
Williams said D.C. was facing a “generational challenges” to its economy, including the repositioning of federal office buildings, and believed McDuffie had the right experience for the moment. McDuffie chaired the council’s business and economic development period during a similarly challenging time, Williams said, after the pandemic wreaked havoc and hollowed out office buildings due to remote work.
“I think he’s just shown the legislative leadership that I think will translate into executive leadership,” Williams said, pointing to McDuffie’s support for incentives to attract housing investment and major economic development projects such as Capital One Arena or RFK Stadium.
McDuffie has touted his record on small business aid, particularly after the pandemic, and has pledged to create a “Stay in DC” fund to prevent displacement of local businesses and, among other things, invest in job pipelines in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and technology to lessen the reliance on the federal government.
“D.C. is a city where if you do things right, you can restore investment into our economy,” Williams said. “And I think Kenyan is best positioned to do that.”
Williams is the second former mayor to back McDuffie. Sharon Pratt Kelly, who served from 1991 to 1995, did so as well.
But one leader many are waiting to hear from, outgoing Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D), has yet to weigh in on the race. Bowser opted last fall not to seek a fourth term, leaving the mayor’s race wide open for the first time in 20 years — since Williams left office.
McDuffie’s top opponent in the mayoral contest is council member Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4).
Lewis George, who has more of a reputation as a workers’ rights fighter, has sought to make inroads with the business community with promises of a downtown development corporation and plans to facilitate more mixed-use projects through public-private partnerships to reduce reliance on office space, including in the health care and higher education sectors.
Lewis George has racked up significant support from more than a dozen labor unions, including hospitality workers and teachers and government workers, along with various progressive organizations and urban policy groups like DC YIMBYS and Greater Greater Washington. Three fellow liberal council members — Charles Allen (D-Ward 6), Brianne K. Nadeau (D-Ward 1) and Robert C. White Jr. (D-At Large) — have also endorsed her.
McDuffie has drawn support from a pair of D.C. Realtors groups, a small landlords association, building trades and DC New Liberals, as well as Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Maryland) and former council members including Mary M. Cheh, former chair Linda Cropp and Charlene Drew Jarvis.
Also competing in the Democratic primary are federal contractor Rini Simpath, real estate investor Gary Goodweather, small business owner Hope Solomon and former council member Vincent B. Orange, who has run for mayor twice before but never garnered more than 3 percent of the vote.
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