PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 11, 2026

Bridget French Announces Campaign for Ward 5 City Council, Focused on Lowering Costs and Strengthening Neighborhoods

WASHINGTON, DC — Bridget French, a Ward 5 resident and policy professional with nearly 20 years of experience working on energy and infrastructure issues, announced today that she is running for Ward 5 City Council.

“I’m running because too many things in DC cost too much and don’t work the way they should,” said French. “Ward 5 deserves leadership that focuses on practical solutions—lowering everyday costs, improving how city services actually function, and supporting the small businesses that keep our neighborhoods strong.”

French has built her career working on systems that shape residents’ daily lives, including energy affordability, infrastructure, and public-sector programs. Early in her career, she worked on some of the District’s first clean energy and efficiency programs through the DC Sustainable Energy Utility (DCSEU), helping launch initiatives that reduced costs for residents and businesses across the city.

A longtime DC resident, French has lived in the city for nearly two decades. She brings a combination of policy expertise and community-rooted perspective to the race, positioning herself as a fresh voice focused on results.

Her campaign will center on three priorities:

• Lowering everyday costs, including reducing utility bills and addressing cost pressures facing residents
• Improving access to services for families, ensuring city programs are easier to navigate and more effective
• Supporting small businesses, helping neighborhood businesses stay open, grow, and contribute to local economic vitality

“I’m not a career politician—I’ve spent my career working behind the scenes on the systems that drive costs and services,” French added. “I’m running to make those systems work better for the people who rely on them every day.”

French grew up in a working-class family in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where her parents owned a small business and instilled in her a strong sense of community responsibility. She later served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras, working with communities on environmental conservation and sustainable development.

She currently works for a nonprofit organization that supports state energy decision-makers in advancing cost-effective energy policies.

French’s campaign will be a grassroots effort focused on engaging Ward 5 residents directly through community conversations, neighborhood events, and voter outreach.

For more information, visit www.frenchforfive.com.