Doni Crawford, the former council staffer who was sworn in as an at-large member in January, officially launched her campaign Wednesday for the June 16 special election to keep the seat previously held by Kenyan McDuffie. The move turns what started as a Wilson Building appointment into a citywide test, with Crawford centering her pitch on housing affordability, stronger schools and what she calls "inclusive economic growth."
According to WJLA, Crawford said in a campaign statement, "I'm running to be a voice for those who've gone unheard," listing housing, education and local-hiring policies among her top priorities. Her rollout features a short launch video and a set of policy one-pagers that focus on protecting long-term housing investments and using public land for affordable development.
What's on Crawford's agenda
Crawford was unanimously appointed to the at-large seat in January and previously served as legislative director and committee director for the Council's Committee on Business and Economic Development, according to the Council of the District of Columbia. Her council biography and recent committee work credit her with helping shape the RFK campus redevelopment negotiations, which included a roughly $50 million community benefits commitment and local-hiring provisions tied to the project.
The race ahead
The special election is scheduled for June 16, 2026, which is also the city's primary date, and will determine who serves out the remainder of McDuffie's term until January 2027, according to Vote411. A crowded field is already forming: former at-large councilmember Elissa Silverman has publicly signaled a run, and other independent and Democratic hopefuls have begun filing or picking up petitions, reporting from Hill Rag shows.
Crawford's appointment gives her an incumbency advantage on the trail, but it also revives questions about how interim replacements are chosen, a process that drew criticism for secrecy earlier this year, according to The Washington Post. Over the next four months she will need to turn her policy resume and committee experience into a citywide coalition that can keep her in the at-large seat past June 16.
