At-Large Council Member Kenyan McDuffie says he is resigning from the D.C. Council.
Tuesday marked McDuffie’s final legislative meeting as a member of the council, according to an announcement from his office. His last day will be Jan. 5.
“I’ve been serving the people of the District of Columbia for more than 13 years, and it has truly been the honor of my lifetime,” McDuffie said from the dais Tuesday.
“I love this work. I love the fight to make our city fair, safer, more affordable and more opportunity rich for every resident across every single ward in our city. But I also believe public service is much like seasons, and I believe in knowing when it’s time to step forward into a new season.”
McDuffie said in a statement that he will announce “his next chapter” in the near future, and that it will be made in “furtherance to serving the District of Columbia and all of its people.”
Since D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced last month that she would not be seeking reelection next year, McDuffie’s name has been mentioned by observers as a potential candidate. Democratic Ward 4 Council member Janeese Lewis George has already launched her bid for mayor.
McDuffie’s resignation fuels speculation he’s planning to join the race. Due to a stipulation in the Home Rule Act, only two of the D.C. Council’s four at-large seats can be held by the same political party. A registered Democrat for much of his political career, McDuffie switched to an independent to run for an at-large seat in 2022, after his failed bid for attorney general.
If he were to run for mayor, he would need to run as a Democrat to be a competitive candidate in deep-blue D.C. He cannot retain his at-large seat as a Democrat.
McDuffie was first elected to the council in 2012 as a Democrat serving Ward 5.
Council colleagues say goodbye
McDuffie’s fellow council members took the chance during Tuesday’s meeting to thank McDuffie for his service to the city and for his mentorship as a colleague.
Lewis George said when she first joined the council along with freshman members Christina Henderson and Brooke Pinto, it was McDuffie who went the extra mile to make sure they felt embraced.
“I remember you taking me, Brooke and Christina out after the council holiday party. No one wanted to hang with the freshmen, but you gave us an opportunity, and we had a fun night that night,” Lewis George said. “It was the first time we finally felt like a part of the council and felt really welcomed.”
Henderson said her first memories of McDuffie came from when she was a staffer.
“You spoke to staff who were not your own, which I know seems like a small thing, but it is actually a distinguishing factor, because not all members of the council at that time would do so,” Henderson said.
Along with his caring and fun-loving presence as a coworker, council members praised his work in economic development and violence interruption.
“Establishing a Petworth Main Street was one of the first things me and you talked about. You said, ‘What do you want to do?’ I said, “We need a Main Street on Petworth,’ and now that’s an area that has bustling restaurants, businesses,” Lewis George said.
Ward 7 Council member Wendell Felder, who’s been serving for less than one year, said McDuffie inspired him and many others in D.C.
“I’ve always looked up to you and admired you for the work that you did when you first fought for Ward 5 residents as a Ward 5 council member, and now as you impact the District of Columbia as a whole,” he said. “Your impact, it will be long lasting.”
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
