Dating in D.C. Is a Dumpster Fire. Help Is On the Way.

Relationships Hot Dems to the rescue. Photo illustration by Slate. Photos by Philip Rozenski/iStock/Getty Images Plus and Drazen_/E+. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Last June, while trying to make plans to meet someone she’d matched with on Tinder, Kate Miceli faced a quagmire familiar to many who live in D.C. She was supposed to meet a man for drinks, but he said he’d be late. Apparently, he was going to a parade. The U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary celebration, in fact. D.C. residents of all stripes went to that parade, but it did leave Miceli with a question. For due diligence, she texted her date, asking if he was a Trump supporter. At first, he got defensive. Then, he refused to reveal who he voted for. “Just because Trump holds a parade doesn’t automatically make everything bad,” he shot back. For Washingtonians like Miceli, this is what dating in the city has been like during Trump 2.0. Amid the influx of MAGA staffers, it’s been difficult for residents—who heavily skew left—to tell who is dateable, and who is not. “The D.C. dating scene has always been a dumpster fire, but that dumpster fire doubled in size after Trump was elected for the second time,” said Miceli, a 35-year-old policy lawyer who was a federal employee before she was ousted by the administration. After the election, scores of far-right staffers entered the city—staffers who’d often conceal their politics on apps and on dates. One D.C. native told me it’s become common for Republican staffers to say nebulous things like “I work in the Capitol” without offering more details; another said a friend discovered her date lied to her about working for a Democratic organization. When she discovered where he actually worked (a GOP-leaning organization), he said he was looking to “weed out conservative women.” This subterfuge happened nationwide during both of Trump’s terms, but for Washingtonians who share breathing room with Donald Trump’s most avid acolytes, sussing out covert MAGA employees has felt particularly exhausting. Dating has even been rough for the MAGA crowd, many of whom were disappointed that the Trump crowd wasn’t “as masculine” as they’d hoped. That’s to say nothing of the bad shoes and beauty choices. Well, all that’s about to change come January, when the city will be flooded with a hot new batch of Democratic dating prospects. Hundreds if not thousands of libbed-out newcomers will appear on the apps and in coffee shops, milling about the city with a fresh air of safety, normalcy, and dare I say sex appeal. “I think this ‘blue tsunami’ will bring new life to D.C.,” 30-year-old Marcus Mills, a lifelong Washingtonian who recently worked for a Democratic super PAC, told me. “Trump killed the city’s economy and workforce, so hopefully this will be a rejuvenation. … Democrats work and play harder than Republicans, so I’m excited for a brand new era come 2027.” Mills recently joked in a tweet that lines for a popular gay bar in town will be much shorter “now that GOP comms staffers will be jobless and have to leave D.C.” Interestingly, there seem to be plenty of openly gay Trump staffers in town, many of whom, the New York Times reported, “have a certain look”: “Close cropped haircuts. Windowpane suits. Golf shorts.” And, of course, they’re almost entirely white. Mills actually appreciates that professional, business-y look—he’s hoping for more of that, only left-leaning, and more diverse. For her part, Miceli is excited at the prospect of finding someone who shares her interests. “It feels strange, but a good kind of strange, to feel a tiny beam of hope in our hearts,” she said. “If Texas can turn blue, then surely other miracles are possible—like finding a great guy with progressive values who has hobbies, friends, and an actual bed frame. A girl can dream, right?” (To be clear, there are also plenty of insufferable Democrats roaming around D.C., many of whom probably don’t have bed frames, either—but at least they don’t get horny for masked ICE agents kidnapping people off the street.) Samantha Barnes, a 38-year-old native who works in human resources, doesn’t think these Democratic newcomers will profoundly change sex or dating for her, but she’s excited about having a new Rolodex of options—one that skews more attractive, in her opinion. “I do believe the Democrats were strategic in making sure the male candidates were easy on the eyes, so I definitely hope their staffers are as well,” she joked. It’s not just Barnes who thinks this—masses of Americans have already acknowledged just how uniquely attractive these new Dems are. Topping the crush list are Sen. Jon Ossoff, Sen.-elect Abdul El-Sayed, and Sen.-elect Scott Colom. “The D.C. dating pool is about to get a seismic shake up,” Michelle Del Rey, a reporter for the Washington Sun, said last week in a tweet that has since gone viral on Instagram. People seem to agree. “Oh hunny! Dating in DC during Obama was lit,” reads one comment. “Might be time to download these dating apps again!” reads another. To locals, the vitalizing and uplifting “blue wave”–induced energy is real, and it extends beyond horniness or hopefulness for love and partnership. It’s a necessary shift to feeling proud of their city. “D.C. is not only experiencing a blue wave, but we also have a new mayor and new congressional representation,” said Miceli. “It’s an entirely new energy. I think people are feeling hope, joy, and optimism, which have been in short supply for several years. I’m hoping this new, positive energy will lead to a resurgence in people building community and finding joy outside of work, whether that’s through dating or other activities.” Other activities indeed. Dating and Relationships Democrats Donald Trump Sex Men District of Columbia 2026 Midterms