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PULSE POINTS
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Washington, D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) announced she will not seek re-election in 2026, ending a 35-year tenure in Congress.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Eleanor Holmes Norton, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, Donna Brazile, and former staffer Trent Holbrook.
📍WHEN & WHERE: Announced via a Federal Election Commission (FEC) filing on Sunday, January 25, 2026, in Washington, D.C.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I want to congratulate Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on a remarkable career… Her work embodies the unwavering resolve of a city that refuses to yield in its fight for equal representation,” said D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.
🎯IMPACT: Norton’s decision opens the door for new candidates, including former staffer Trent Holbrook, to vie for the D.C. delegate seat.
IN FULL
Eleanor Holmes Norton, the oldest member of the U.S. House of Representatives will not seek another term in the 2026 election. Norton, the 88-year-old non-voting delegate from Washington, D.C.,, filed a termination report with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) on Sunday, signaling the end of her 35-year tenure.
The National Pulse reported last October that Norton, who is believed to be suffering from a diminished cognitive state, fell victim to a scam at her D.C. home, losing thousands of dollars. Posing as HVAC workers, a group of people entered her apartment, charged her nearly $4,400 using her credit card, and left without performing any work. The fraud was discovered when Norton’s house manager, Jacqueline Pelt, reviewed security footage and called the police.
Following Norton’s decision not to run for re-election, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser paid tribute to the long-term Democrat lawmaker in a post on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “I want to congratulate Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton on a remarkable career. For 35 years, Congresswoman Norton has been our Warrior on the Hill—from securing shutdown protection for the city and the creation of DCTAG, to defeating continued attacks on Home Rule and leading historic votes in the House for DC Statehood.” Bowser herself announced in November last year that she would not seek a fourth term as mayor.
Notably, a number of top Democrat officials have pushed for Norton to retire, especially following the October scamming incident. Late last year, former Democratic National Committee (DNC) acting chair and political strategist Donna Brazile called on the 88-year-old D.C. Delegate to Congress to retire. Writing in the Washington Post, Brazile stated, “It’s in her best interest, and the interest of D.C., for her to serve her current term but then end her extraordinary service in Congress and not seek reelection next year.”
Norton, who first assumed office in 1991, has held the delegate seat for over three decades. Several people, including former Norton staffer Trent Holbrook, have announced their candidacies for the position before her retirement. Holbrook remarked, “I think it’s evident that she’s not going to successfully run. Congresswoman Norton is one of the most successful lawmakers in American history.”
The D.C. delegate’s role does not include voting on legislation like regular House representatives but does allow for the introduction of legislation and participation in committees.
Image by Lorie Shaull.
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