JTA — A democratic socialist who has sharply criticized Israel and pledged to defend Jews from antisemitism is in the lead in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for mayor in Washington, DC, possibly putting the nation’s capital on track to elect a progressive leader.

Janeese Lewis George, a DC councilmember, had received just over half of the 65 percent of votes that had been counted by Wednesday morning. Kenyan McDuffie, a moderate and former city councilmember, was in a distant second place.

The election is DC’s first using ranked-choice voting, so it could take some time to reach a final tabulation, and the results could change. Still, the early results have ignited optimism among Lewis George’s supporters — and concern among her critics, who include Jewish leaders in the city and beyond.

Some Jewish leaders have criticized Lewis George, who has accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, for vowing that, if she is elected, she would not attend “events focused on obfuscating the realities of occupation or promoting Zionism and apartheid” or join “political junkets to Israel.” She made those promises in responses to a questionnaire from the Metro DC Democratic Socialists of America, which subsequently endorsed her.

The race set up a fight over the future of Washington, DC, where the vast majority of voters are Democrats and the threat of US President Donald Trump’s interference in city affairs loomed large over the ballot box. The winner is heavily favored to win the general election in November and succeed Democratic Mayor Muriel E. Bowser, who is retiring after 12 years in office.

It also has fueled a national discourse about the growing viability of left-wing, pro-Palestinian leaders in local politics. Some have likened Lewis George to Zohran Mamdani, the democratic socialist elected mayor in New York City last year. A left-wing candidate is also poised to potentially become mayor of Los Angeles, while Chicago has had a progressive Democrat who is sharply critical of Israel since 2023.

The Wall Street Journal said ahead of the DC primary that the city was facing “a Mamdani moment” — a sharp critique from the paper’s conservative editorial board.

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