Maryland Senator Angela Alsobrooks has thrown her support behind former D.C. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie in the race to become the District of Columbia’s next mayor, offering a high-profile endorsement that could help shape the early dynamics of the contest.
Alsobrooks announced her endorsement Monday, becoming one of the most prominent Democratic figures to weigh in on the race so far. In a statement, she praised McDuffie’s leadership and judgment, calling him a candidate capable of delivering both sound policy and people-centered governance.
“Kenyan McDuffie is going to be a terrific mayor for the District of Columbia,” Alsobrooks said. “He will fight for economic opportunity and stand in the breach against a president who has been hostile to the people of Washington, especially when it comes to threats to Home Rule and the District’s right to govern itself.”
McDuffie, a former at-large councilmember and Chair Pro Tempore, resigned from his seat in January to launch his mayoral bid after Mayor Muriel Bowser announced she would not seek another term, setting the stage for an open and competitive race.
A fourth-generation Washingtonian, McDuffie has built his campaign around a long record of public service and legislative accomplishment. Raised in Ward 5’s Stronghold neighborhood, he credits his working-class upbringing with shaping his commitment to fairness, accountability, and economic opportunity.
After graduating from Jackson-Reed High School, McDuffie worked for the U.S. Postal Service while attending the University of the District of Columbia. He later earned degrees from Howard University and the University of Maryland School of Law, going on to serve as a prosecutor and later in the Department of Justice under President Barack Obama, where he focused on civil rights.
Since first being elected to the D.C. Council in 2012, McDuffie has spent more than a decade advancing legislation aimed at expanding affordable housing, improving public safety, and reducing racial and economic disparities.
Now, as he campaigns for mayor, McDuffie is framing his candidacy around a vision of a more affordable, equitable, and opportunity-driven city—one he says will work for every resident across all eight wards.
