Trump’s shadow shapes DC mayoral race as frontrunners vow to defend home rule

As Washington, D.C.’s June primary approaches, frontrunners Janeese Lewis George and Kenyan McDuffie frame the mayoral contest as a battle over home rule and federal power, pledging to end ICE cooperation, rally Congress to protect the district, and push back against Trump, while navigating Bowser’s tempered relationship with the administration and concerns about funding amid federal crackdowns and the ongoing National Guard presence.