Schwalb Secures D.C. Nomination
Brian Schwalb Secures Democratic Nomination for District of Columbia Attorney General
Incumbent D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb won the Democratic nomination for a second term on June 16, 2026, defeating challenger J.P. Szymkowicz in the District's primary election, according to AP News. In a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans roughly 10-to-1, the nomination is widely seen as a path to victory in the November 3 general election.
Schwalb, a former partner at Venable LLP, first won the AG seat in 2022 with 45% of the vote in a three-way race. He was sworn in on January 2, 2023, becoming the District's second independently elected attorney general, according to DAGA.
Schwalb Defeats Public Safety Challenger from the Right
Szymkowicz, a four-term ANC Commissioner and private attorney, ran against Schwalb from the right. He argued the Office of the Attorney General had become too focused on national civil lawsuits and not enough on local crime, according to HillRag. The two candidates met in their only joint forum on April 19, 2026.
Schwalb pushed back, defending what he called "evidence-based practices" aimed at steering young people "back onto successful life paths" rather than relying on purely punitive measures. He framed the office's mission simply: "The law is the most powerful tool we have to address inequity," per HillRag.
$906 Million in Returns Anchored Schwalb's Re-Election Case
Schwalb entered the race with a strong financial record to tout. His office's 2025 Impact Report claimed $906.8 million in savings and benefits for District residents — a 477% return on the office's budget, according to OAG DC.
Recent settlements boosted that case. In April 2026, his office secured a $9.9 million deal with Live Nation over deceptive ticketing fees. Earlier, workers won a $279,000 settlement against Jan-Pro for wage theft and $302,000 from DR Construction for exploiting drywall workers, per OAG DC.
Federal Intervention Loomed Over the Entire Primary Season
The 2026 primary unfolded against an unusually tense backdrop. The Trump administration has pushed unprecedented federal intervention into D.C. governance, making the AG race a flashpoint over Home Rule — the District's right to govern itself, according to AP News.
The election also marked the first time D.C. used Ranked-Choice Voting in a primary. The broader ballot featured a seven-candidate mayoral race, adding to a charged political atmosphere, AP News reported. Schwalb will face unopposed Republican nominee Manuel Rivera in November.
A Second Term Focused on Antitrust and Youth Online Safety
Schwalb won with backing from the Metropolitan Washington Council AFL-CIO, the Sierra Club, the DC Latino Caucus, and Jews United for Justice, according to his campaign site Brian for DC.
A second term is expected to push further into antitrust cases, worker protections, and social media accountability — especially around youth mental health, per OAG DC. Schwalb launched his re-election bid on September 3, 2025, saying he wanted to "continue the office's independent, people-centered work," according to Axios.
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