GCAAR endorses candidates for the District of Columbia primary election
GCAAR's Political and Campaign Affairs Committee (PCAC) has endorsed eight candidates who are running to serve on the Council of the District of Columbia and as D.C. Mayor in the June 16 primary.
During the past four months, the PCAC reviewed questionnaires and interviewed 17 candidates, selecting those whom they felt best represent the local real-estate industry.
The 2026 election is the first time that ranked-choice voting is being implemented in the District. Among GCAAR’s endorsed candidates are two Democrats for Council At-Large, where the new voting procedure will be beneficial given voters can rank both candidates on their ballots.
At this time, GCAAR has only endorsed democratic and independent candidates. The PCAC will again evaluate candidates from all parties for endorsement in the general election.
The endorsements are as follows:
- D.C. Mayor: Kenyan McDuffie
Council of the District of Columbia:
- Chairman (D): Phil Mendelson
- Ward 1 (D): Jackie Reyes Yanes
- Ward 3 (D): Matthew Frumin
- Ward 6 (D): Charles Allen
- Council At-Large (D): Kevin Chavous
- Council At-Large (D): Lisa Raymond
- Council At-Large (I): Doni Crawford
The leaders representing Wards 2,4,7 and 8 are not up for election in 2026. GCAAR’s PCAC did not endorse a candidate for Ward 5, as the candidate did not respond to GCAAR’s questionnaire.
Additionally, the PCAC voted to endorse Democrats United to Free D.C., which is the committee by law that fills the vacancies left open by Democratic legislators who leave their posts. Given two sitting Democratic D.C. Councilmembers are running for higher office, it is possible that there will be an open position, and this committee will appoint a qualified candidate to fill it.
2026 key election dates:
- May 15 – Ballots mailed to voters
- June 8-14, 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. – Early voting
- June 16, 7 a.m.-8 p.m. – Primary election
Details about each endorsement can be found on GCAAR's website at gcaar.com/endorsements.