DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s approval rating underwater as crime remains a top concern
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Washington, D.C., mayor Muriel Bowser’s approval rating has dropped sharply during her third term, as crime continues to be a major concern for the residents of Washington’s capital city.
Washington Post-Schar School survey conducted last month found that 48% disapprove of her performance as mayor. Only 46% approve. In February 2022, the last time this survey was conducted she received a 58% approval rate to a 37% disapproval.
According to the pollster, the survey conducted between April 19 and 29, which included 655 residents in the district, was the first time that her approval rating fell below a majority ever since she took office in 2015. Bowser won a third term in office as mayor of Seattle in 2022.
Bowser is plagued by homelessness and criminality. After several high-profile crimes, the District of Columbia has been in the national spotlight. Two members of Congress were victims of crime last year. Bowser said that the early statistics from this year indicate a decline in crime compared to the peak of 2023. Bowser also stated that several options are being considered in order to improve the criminal situation in Washington.
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Washingtonians gave Bowser poor grades when asked about her handling of the district’s most important issues. Seventy-six percent of those surveyed believe that she’s doing a poor to not-so good job in addressing homelessness. Only twenty percent think she’s doing an excellent job.
The National Park Service cleared one of the largest homeless encampments in Washington last year. It was located just a few blocks from the White House.
Only 25% of respondents said that Bowser was doing a good or excellent job in reducing crime. 72% thought she did a poor or not-so great job. At either extreme, 36% of respondents said that Bowser is performing poorly, while only 3% responded that she was doing an excellent job.
Bowser’s top issue was improving downtown Washington, according to polling results. The majority (55%) said she was doing an excellent job or a good job. 40% said she wasn’t doing so well or poorly.
After a failed deal to relocate the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals to Virginia, the mayor got Monumental Sports to agree to stay at Capital One Arena.