Eleanor Norton

The race to replace longtime Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton is emerging as a broader debate over how the District should navigate its relationship with Congress and the White House, as leading candidates begin laying out competing priorities on home rule and public safety.

As Norton prepares for an eventual departure from office, two prominent candidates — Robert White and Brooke Pinto — are signaling different approaches to representing the District in Washington at a time of heightened political tension between local and federal officials.

Competing approaches to Washington

White has positioned his campaign around a more confrontational stance toward the federal government, while also calling for aggressive pursuit of D.C. statehood and expanded local autonomy.

Pinto, meanwhile, has emphasized public safety and crime reduction as central priorities, while also pointing to opportunities for policy coordination with federal leaders on specific issues. Both candidates have said they oppose what they describe as federal overreach into District affairs, but differ in tone and strategy when it comes to how the next delegate should engage Congress and the White House.

Candidates make their case

White sharply criticized federal actions impacting the District, saying, “They stole a billion dollars, one billion from D.C. taxpayers and didn’t even blink. We’ve watched our national government invade our neighborhoods, snatch people from their communities, spent millions on military shows of force while families right here are fighting just to afford rent, childcare and a little peace of mind.”

Pinto, focusing on public safety policy, emphasized efforts to reduce gun violence and illegal firearms.

“There are also a lot of proactive things that we need to be doing when it comes to public safety in Congress to get illegal guns off the street, to tamp down on the use of ghost guns," Pinto said.

Broader stakes for the District

The race is unfolding as District leaders continue to navigate a complex relationship with Congress, which retains oversight authority over the city despite D.C.’s elected local government structure.

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The next delegate will inherit ongoing debates over statehood, public safety policy, and federal involvement in local decision-making — issues that have repeatedly placed Washington at the center of national political disputes.

Looking ahead to the primary

The Democratic primary for the District’s non-voting congressional delegate seat is scheduled for June 16.

As the race intensifies, candidates are expected to continue sharpening their policy differences, particularly on how aggressively the District should push back against federal authority versus seeking cooperation on shared priorities.