Troops patrol the nation’s capital, moving through train stations and city streets. Masked federal agents detain District of Columbia residents. Congress pushes through bills that chip away at the city’s autonomy. And the one person who could speak up for Washington on Capitol Hill? Lately, they’ve been almost impossible to spot.
Even her longtime allies admit that Democrat Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C.’s nonvoting delegate in the House, hasn’t stepped up to challenge the Trump administration’s interference in the city. They point to her age-88-and a noticeable decline in her energy and presence.
That has sparked questions about the future of the 18-term lawmaker and fueled calls for her to step aside, making room for a new generation of leaders. The race to replace her is now in full swing, with two D.C. Council members—including a former Norton aide-launching campaigns for the 2026 contest.
“D.C. is under attack as at no other time in recent history, and we need a new champion to defend us,”wrote Donna Brazile, a former Norton chief of staff, in a Washington Post opinion piece.
Brazile acknowledged Norton’s legendary service and understood why she might want to continue. “As I’ve told her in person,” Brazile said, “retirement from Congress is the right next chapter-for her, and for the District.”
Norton has so far resisted those calls. Her office declined to grant an interview, and her campaign did not respond to requests for comment. The oldest member of the House, Norton has served since 1991 and has signaled that she intends to run again next year.
Federal intervention has thrown the city into uncharted challenges
Washington gained limited autonomy under a home rule agreement passed by Congress in 1973, allowing residents to elect a mayor and city council. Yet federal leaders still hold ultimate authority over local affairs, including approval of the city’s budget and the laws passed by its council.
That limited freedom faced even tighter restrictions after Republican President Donald Trump issued an emergency order in August. Intended to combat crime, the order federalized the city’s police force and sent federal agents and National Guard troops into Washington. The order expired in September, but the troops and federal officers are still on the streets.
Although the D.C. delegate cannot vote, the position gives the district’s residents—who have no other representation in Congress—a voice through speeches on the House floor and the ability to introduce legislation.
Even without a vote in Congress, “there are so many things that the delegate can do from that position, even if it’s just using the bully pulpit,” said Cliff Albright, co-founder of Black Voters Matter, a voting rights group. “Even if it’s just giving folks encouragement or showing that fight that a lot of people want to see.”
At public appearances, Norton has appeared unsteady and struggled to read from prepared notes, including during a recent committee hearing on proposals that would further erode Washington’s independence in prosecuting crime.
During Trump’s monthlong security emergency-and in the time since-Norton has been far less visible than city officials, who attended protests and held media events condemning the federal intervention.
“Without a push for party unity on Washington’s priorities from congressional leaders, the delegate’s role becomes even more crucial,” said George Derek Musgrove, associate professor of history at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County.
“The delegate really has to be a one-person whip operation to try and hold the caucus in line against this Republican onslaught,” Musgrove said.
City leaders take matters into their own hands
It’s unclear what a more assertive delegate could have achieved, given Trump’s broad interpretation of executive power and Republican control of Congress. Still, some critics argue that stronger action might have helped the city avoid a $1.1 billion budget shortfall created by a federal plan earlier this year. Months later, Congress has yet to approve a fix for the deficit-even though Trump has signaled his support for one.
With Norton largely silent, other leaders in the Democratic-run city have stepped in to fill the void since Trump’s emergency declaration.
Mayor Muriel Bowser has stepped up as the district’s primary mediator with the administration and Congress, working alongside the council-though their efforts have often been fragmented. Meanwhile, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb has taken the most combative stance, suing the administration over its actions.
Leaving a recent House hearing on the district, she didn’t hesitate: when reporters asked if she would retire, her answer was a decisive “no.”
Among those aiming to challenge her in next year’s Democratic primary are two council members—Robert White Jr., a former Norton aide, and Brooke Pinto. Numerous others in the city have also expressed interest. Meanwhile, allies-including Mayor Bowser and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York—have so far declined to publicly back another run for Norton.
Momentum builds for new faces
Norton’s life has been a journey through the defining moments of American history.
In 1963, she divided her time between Yale Law School and Mississippi, where she volunteered with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. During Freedom Summer, civil rights activist Medgar Evers personally picked her up at the airport-he was assassinated that very night. Norton also helped organize and took part in the 1963 March on Washington.
Norton went on to become the first woman to chair the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which enforces workplace anti-discrimination laws. She later ran for office when her predecessor stepped down to pursue a bid for Washington mayor.
Tom Davis, a former Republican congressman from Virginia and steadfast Norton ally, who worked with her on numerous bills, said voters deserve to know who she is-and what she can still accomplish.
“She saved the city,” he said, highlighting achievements such as the 1997 act that pulled Washington back from the brink of bankruptcy and her work to broaden college opportunities. “She was a remarkable partner.”
Davis said both major political parties are eager for fresh faces.
“She’s still very well respected. She’s got a lot seniority,” he said. “I think she’s earned the right to go out on her terms. But that’s gonna be up to the voters.”
