Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser has announced she will not pursue a fourth term, calling the opportunity to serve in the role “the honor” of her life. Bowser, a Democrat, shared her decision publicly, reflecting on her decade-long tenure as the leader of the nation’s capital.

In a statement posted to X, Bowser highlighted how her administration had kept Washington, D.C. sports teams in the capital, and had raised “enrollment and graduation rates” in schools, among other things. Bowser also highlighted how her administration brought the city “back from the ravages of a global pandemic.”

“Serving as your mayor has been the honor of my life,” Bowser expressed in her statement. “When you entrusted me with this responsibility ten years ago, it provided me with an incredible chance to make a positive difference in my hometown. Each day since then, I have embraced that chance and poured my passion and energy into a role I love.”

In her continued remarks, Bowser, who first took office in 2014, recounted a personal moment shared with her late father. As reported by the Washington Post, she confided in him last year, admitting she was unlikely to seek re-election.

Bowser’s decision not to run again is set to spark a fiercely contested mayoral race, according to the publication.

We delivered on big projects like McMillan and St. Elizabeths, and invested nearly $1 billion in Ward 8, including the brand new, full-service Cedar Hill regional medical center. We drove unemployment to its lowest levels, achieved a AAA bond rating and strong reserves, quadrupled CBE spending, and completed the largest infrastructure project in our city’s history with the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge.

We also brough our city back from the ravages of a global pandemic and summoned our collective strength to stand tall against bullies who threatened our very autonomy, while preserving Home Rule. That is our north star.

Throughout this remarkable journey, I’ve been honored to serve with countless dedicated city executives and extraordinary front-line workers, the incredible people who keep Washington, DC thriving every day. For their bold vision, big ideas, personal sacrifices, and relentless pursuit of excellence in service to this great city, I am deeply grateful.

Bowser, who was first elected to serve as the city’s mayor in 2014, told the Washington Post that before her father died last year, she told him “She did not think she would run again.”

The outlet noted that Bowser’s decision not to seek another term as mayor “opens up what is bound to be a highly competitive mayor’s race.”