Washington, D.C. mayoral candidate Janeese Lewis George raised eyebrows among Jewish Washingtonians earlier this year for answering in the affirmative to a Democratic Socialists of America candidate questionnaire that asked her to pledge to reject the “Zionist lobby.” 

Now, in a new voter guide from the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington that featured answers from the candidates on a series of questions, Lewis George pledged that if elected, she would not seek to exclude anyone based on their political beliefs.

“I want to use this questionnaire to be clear, I will not be a mayor who includes or excludes you based on your opinions or feelings on matters here and across the world,” said Lewis George, a D.C. councilmember who earned DSA’s endorsement in next month’s Democratic primary. 

Lewis George pledged to stand against antisemitism, and though she did not address her past comments about Zionism, she made note of the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel.

“I hear the concerns people have about rising antisemitism. I know the pain that Jews around the country and in D.C. felt on October 7,” Lewis George said. “When two staff members from the Israeli Embassy were shot and killed at the Capital Jewish Museum in downtown DC, I made clear that such horrific acts of violence are sickening and have no place in our community.”

She said that she will support security funding for Jewish institutions, a position she said she adopted as a councilmember, and that she will make sure city agencies work to address antisemitic threats.

“I will ensure D.C.’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency has a plan to protect Jewish schools and synagogues, be transparent about its efforts, and DPW’s graffiti team will remove any antisemitic marks within 24 hours of a report,” said Lewis George. “I have also pushed to ensure our schools address antisemitism and have education around it.”

She did not discuss her views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, after saying in the past that she will remain committed to both “Palestinian human rights” and fighting antisemitism. The only candidate for local office who told JCRC they will avoid certain constituencies is Aparna Raj, a DSA-endorsed candidate for Ward 1 on the D.C. Council, who said she “​​will not work with AIPAC or organizations whose mission is to lobby for pro-Israel policies.” 

Kenyan McDuffie, a former councilmember and Lewis George’s main competitor, has said throughout the campaign that he would reject any organization that requires candidates to make a “divisive pledge” to earn its endorsement. 

“I will never yield to pressure to exclude Jewish community partners from civic life based on their political or deeply-held beliefs,” he said in the JCRC questionnaire. “As Mayor, I will engage with the full breadth of DC’s Jewish community on the issues that affect daily life in the District.”

Both McDuffie and Lewis George will appear in separate virtual candidate forums hosted by the JCRC on Thursday.