Washington, D.C., is set to have one of its most competitive Democratic primaries in over three decades in 2026, as D.C. Councilmember Robert White seeks to bring the fire to a House seat he thinks has lost its spark under incumbent Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).
In the aftermath of a federal takeover of the district by the Trump administration and a spending deal that cut $1 billion in funding for D.C., White told the Washington Examiner that D.C. is getting its “butt kicked” and the district residents deserve a present and competent fighter.
“The congresswoman, who has been our warrior on the Hill for many decades, is not able to fight the way she did,” White said.
This is a personal race for White, who served as an aide to Norton for years before heading to serve three terms on the D.C. Council. But an early takeaway from White’s campaign is he is trying to maintain respect for Norton’s long career, refusing to resort to mudslinging often present in competitive races.
“I don’t need to take away from her or anything she’s done in order to make that point [that her fire’s gone], because it’s a point that residents understand right now,” White said.
He added that he spoke to the delegate before announcing his campaign and characterized the conversation as “respectful,” but did not want to go into details.
White’s primary challenge to Norton, 88, is going to be the incumbent’s most competitive race in 35 years. The delegate has faced scrutiny for months over her ability to serve in Congress due to her absence from the public eye during the federal takeover, and her consistently relying on a staffer to help her move about the Capitol. Last month, during a press conference, she appeared to struggle as she headed to the podium to deliver brief remarks on the federal takeover.
Norton has said numerous times she plans to run for reelection to a 19th term, despite calls from council members and D.C. politicos for her to retire and pass the torch. However, Norton’s spokeswoman, Sharon Nichols, has continuously walked back her remarks.
“She wants to run but is still discussing it with the people closest to her,” Nichols said in June.
A handful of House Democrats have told the Washington Examiner it’s time for Norton to go, and it’s “disrespectful” to hold onto the position and refuse to allow a new generation to legislate. The discourse surrounding Norton’s reelection plans is part of a larger movement of younger Democrats crying for fresh blood in the lawmaker ranks after the 2024 election. Many elder, establishment Democrats will face primary challenges from progressive, grassroots candidates in next year’s midterm elections.
White had originally been looking to run for mayor in 2026, a race still taking shape as Mayor Muriel Bowser has not announced her plans for the position. But the federal takeover changed those plans.
The federal takeover of Washington, D.C. began in August and came at the request of President Donald Trump to crack down on crime in the district and “beautify” the area. The decision received rebuke from the D.C. Council, Democrats, and district residents, who decried it as an act of authoritarianism.
Bowser surprised many when she cooperated early on with the Trump administration, at times praising Trump for bringing in the National Guard and stating the increased presence of troops with federal resources was an asset to the district.
The takeover of the district ultimately spurred politicians to make a change in their political careers.
White told the Washington Post that GOP declarations to do away with D.C. home rule and continue a more permanent takeover of the district pushed him to change course and run for the council instead.
“This pivot was not something I expected, but it has become very clear that this is our biggest vulnerability,” White told the outlet. “If we want to continue to have an elected mayor and council, we’re going to have to turn back the tide that’s happening.”
White is facing a fellow council member, Brooke Pinto, in the primary. Pinto launched her bid on Oct. 6 and is the chairwoman of the D.C. Council on the Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety. She spearheaded the Secure D.C. omnibus legislation to install harsher punishments for a range of crimes.
The role of a delegate, of which there are six in total in the House, is active but also serves an honorary purpose. As a delegate, Norton cannot vote on final passage of legislation on the House floor. They can vote in “committee of the whole,” a procedure used on the floor to expedite consideration for legislation, and vote for bills in committees.
Norton was unable to vote on final passage for the continuing resolution to fund the government on Sept. 19, which is currently stalled in the Senate. Tucked into that CR is language to reinstate the $1 billion in funding for the district cut out in March.
The delegate used to advocate for D.C. with a heavy hand but now no longer lobbies lawmakers on D.C. priorities the way she used to, White told the Washington Examiner, echoing reports and visual signs of the congresswoman’s decline.
He said serving as a delegate shouldn’t and doesn’t “limit our ability to sway policy through the committees, through interacting with other members.” If he is elected, he said plans to build coalitions within the Democratic caucus so he can influence policy best fitting D.C.
But, he said, “we have to do a better job of mentoring and passing the torch. When we don’t, we set back the movements that we’re fighting for.”
One of those movements is advocating for D.C. to become the 51st state, a campaign Norton has championed for most of her legislative career. The debate over statehood renewed during the federal takeover, prompting numerous statements from Norton.
“Federal interference is the problem, not the solution,” Norton said a few days after the beginning of the takeover. “The only permanent remedy that will protect D.C.’s ability to govern itself is enactment of my D.C. statehood bill into law.”
White said he knows from the years working with Norton as her legislative counsel, “it is, historically, really hard to get people outside of D.C. to focus on statehood very seriously.”
WHAT IS OPEN, CLOSED, OR CLOSING AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CONTINUES
“What I recognize is that Democrats nationally and others have given lip service to D.C. statehood in the past, and that’s because the reality is, D.C. is not anybody’s priority other than D.C.,” White said.
“But right now, the chess board is different, and we have to strike while the iron is hot,” White continued.