D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser won the Democratic primary for her office on Tuesday, securing her path to a third term as the city’s chief executive.
Ms. Bowser, who defeated two D.C. Council members and a neighborhood activist in the primary, will face Republican nominee Stacia Hall in November’s general election.
“DC is my home,” Ms. Bowser tweeted earlier Tuesday. “I’m the only candidate [fighting] for more police officers and to keep the progress going in our schools.”
Her closest opponent was at-large council member Robert White, who had appealed to more progressive voters in the city.
Council member Trayon White (Ward 8) and activist James Butler were also on the ballot. (Robert White and Trayon White are not related.)
With 100% of the city’s 144 precincts reporting, Ms. Bowser had 44,061 votes, or 49.9% percent, and Robert White had 34,025 votes, or 38.5%.
Trayon White got 8,663 votes, or 9.8%, and Mr. Butler received 1,299 votes, or 1.47%.
Ms. Bowser’s candidacy was tested by issues like education, affordable housing and rising crime that’s plagued the city.
The mayor’s signature plan to fight the crime wave was a pledge to hire hundreds of more police officers and offer incentives to retain hundreds more.
Overall crime in the District rose 20% since last year, with homicides seeing a 3% uptick.
Typically, the winner of the Democratic primary goes on to win the general election in the deep-blue District.
Ms. Bowser, 49, would be the second mayor in the city’s history to win more than two terms in office. The late Marion Barry served four terms in the 1980s and 1990s.
She would be the first woman to win more than two terms as mayor.
Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly reported vote tallies for Robert White and Trayon White, whose names were conflated on the D.C. Board of Elections website.
• Mica Soellner can be reached at msoellner@washingtontimes.com.
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