Longtime Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) is under pressure to step aside after nearly 35 years in office, with party insiders and activists arguing it is time for fresh leadership to carry the city’s fight for full representation in Congress.
Former Democratic National Committee interim chairwoman and veteran strategist Donna Brazile added to those calls Monday, urging the House’s oldest member not to seek reelection. In a Washington Post op-ed, Brazile praised Norton’s trailblazing career, from civil rights activism to securing key protections for the District, but said her legacy is already “secure and enduring,” and the moment demands new energy.
Brazile, 65, described Norton as a “dear friend for 44 years,” a mentor, role model, and even “a second mother.” But she argued that at 88, Norton is no longer the dynamo who once defined the city’s fight for representation, and that the District now requires the kind of vigorous leadership Norton herself provided for decades.
“It’s in her best interest, and the interest of D.C., for her to complete her current term but then conclude her extraordinary service in Congress by not seeking reelection next year,” Brazile wrote.
Brazile, who managed Norton’s first congressional campaign in 1990 and later served as her chief of staff for eight years, framed her appeal as one born of respect and long friendship. She acknowledged Norton’s deep devotion to public service, writing that after “doing so much for D.C. for so long, it’s understandable that she wants to remain in Congress. Public service is her life.”
But Brazile argued that even a trailblazer’s tenure must eventually end. “No job can last forever, and no person is irreplaceable,” she wrote. “As I’ve told her in person, retirement from Congress is the right next chapter for her — and for the District.
The calls for Norton’s retirement come as the District faces heightened political pressure, with Republicans seeking to roll back the city’s autonomy and block its long-sought push for statehood. In recent weeks, President Donald Trump announced he would place the Metropolitan Police Department “under federal control” and deploy National Guard troops to the capital. Norton issued several press releases in response, but was notably absent from press events with Mayor Muriel Bowser.
Brazile underscored the stakes, warning that “D.C. is under attack as at no other time in recent history, and we need a new champion to defend us. President Donald Trump is treating the District like a colonial possession he can rule as a dictator, rather than a city governed by leaders who are elected by voters.”
She continued, “Washingtonians need a delegate in Congress who is able to vigorously stand up for our right to govern ourselves — just as the residents of every other American city do.”
DEMOCRATS WORRY THEY’RE GETTING TOO OLD FOR OFFICE
Norton, the District’s nonvoting delegate to Congress, has repeatedly sent mixed signals about her political future. In June, she told reporters on Capitol Hill that she planned to run again, and a statement from her staff later walked back, saying no decision had been made. Earlier in the month, she dismissed calls for generational change, arguing that her long tenure is an asset, speaking with Axios.
“I say that my seniority is what is very important, and I am not going to step aside,” Norton said.
Norton’s office did not respond to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment on Tuesday about Brazile’s op-ed or Norton’s plans for 2026. On Tuesday, Norton ignored questions about Brazile’s op-ed. When pressed by Fox News, aides repeatedly declined to engage, saying, “We’re not talking about this right now. I’m so sorry. We’re in a rush.”
Jon Reinish, a Democratic strategist, said Norton’s seniority has long been her strength, giving her unique policy expertise and influence. But he suggested that value must be balanced against the risks of overstaying. “You have to balance that with knowing not to stay too long at the fair and knowing when it’s time,” he said.