The mayoral race in Washington, D.C. is heating up, with candidates vying to take on President Donald Trump and protect the district’s home rule. Janeese Lewis George, a democratic socialist and leading candidate, has been critical of outgoing Mayor Muriel Bowser’s approach to working with the Trump administration.

Home Rule Debate

The debate over home rule has been at the center of the mayoral race, with candidates discussing how to balance working with the federal government while also asserting the district’s autonomy. Lewis George has vowed to take on the president and fight to protect home rule, while her opponent, Kenyan McDuffie, has argued that he has the experience to wage a smart fight against the president.

President Trump recently commented on the mayoral race, saying that he wouldn’t ‘put up with it’ if Lewis George wins. Her team responded by saying that threatening home rule because you don’t like how residents are voting is an attack on democracy itself.

Local Autonomy

The issue of local autonomy is a crucial one in D.C., where the district has only been able to elect its own government since the passage of the Home Rule Act of 1973. However, even that autonomy is limited, with Congress having the power to overturn D.C. laws and pass legislation to repeal the Home Rule Act.

The next mayor of D.C. will have to navigate this complex relationship with the federal government, all while addressing issues such as affordability and public safety. The mayoral race is seen as a key test of how Democrats in the district want to approach the Trump administration, with some voters seeking a more confrontational approach and others preferring a more collaborative one.

Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.