D.C. residents and local lawmakers are questioning DC Councilmember Trayon White’s ability to serve after he was reelected in the Ward 8 special election last week, even calling his win a “bad omen” for D.C.
In Case You Missed It
White won back his seat on the D.C. Council during the July 15 special election after being ejected from the council in February over federal bribery charges. White pleaded not guilty and the case will go to trial next year.
A Lackluster Election
Despite the scandal, Ward 8 voters voted White back into office, albeit by a thin margin in a low turnout election. Only 14% of Ward 8’s 56,000 voters submitted a ballot despite consistent get-out-the-vote programming. (It didn’t help that it was a scorching and stormy day.)
In the end White pulled 28% of the votes, only three percentage points, or 280 votes more than runner up Sheila Bunn. The fact that there were three challengers in the race resulted in a split vote that handed White the win, which is a whole other can of worms.
Trayon White after the vote for his expulsion from the City Council in Washington, DC on February 04, 2025. (The Washington Post/Getty Images)
What People Are Saying
Trayon’s critics say that the election outcome is a “bad omen” for D.C. and makes the city “look like a laughingstock.” Others, like former Ward 8 Councilmember LaRuby May are worried the GOP will use Trayon’s reelection as a sign that D.C. cannot govern itself properly and use it as an excuse to refuse D.C. statehood, as they did during the Marion Barry scandals.
A Washington Post opinion article went so far as to recommend the council toss White, saying his win has more to do with voters voicing their frustration than with his actual policies. “The city does not need this soap opera. The council has real work to do,” it read.
But White’s supporting base remains strong, saying he deserves another chance. To many, White has a track record of showing up crisis after crisis, in a Ward that often goes underserved and overlooked.
Will the DC Council Expel White Again?
D.C. Council has been in talks both publicly and privately about expelling White again ever since he announced he would be running in the special election. However, kicking him out again and disregarding voters' wishes is a political risk that could lead to yet another special election.
Some, like Ward 5 Councilmember Zachary Parker, also say that expelling him again would delay and distract from investing in Ward 8 residents.
Of course, the council could run out the clock until his trial, set for January 2026, and let the federal prosecutors decide for them. A conviction would lead to an automatic removal from office.
