At-large D.C. Council member Robert White Jr. won the Democratic primary Tuesday for longtime non-voting congressional seat, putting him on track to become the districts first new member of Congress since 1991.
The rare open-seat contest for D.C.s delegate post came after Norton, 88, announced she would following 18 terms in Congress. The Democratic nominee will advance to the November general election in heavily Democratic Washington, where the partys nominee is heavily favored against Republican and third-party challengers.
D.C.s delegate can introduce legislation, serve on committees and advocate for the district on Capitol Hill, but the role does not include a final vote on the House floor. The race comes as Washington continues its long-running fight over statehood, home rule and federal control of the nations capital.
The primary race was held under D.C.s new system, but White was able to secure the nomination.
White has served as an at-large member of the D.C. Council since 2016 and previously worked in Nortons congressional office as legislative counsel. He entered the race after dropping a possible mayoral bid, arguing the district needed a more aggressive advocate in Congress as federal pressure on D.C. intensified.
Norton was first elected in 1990 and took office in 1991, becoming the districts nonvoting delegate and one of D.C.s most recognizable political figures. Her retirement closes an 18-term tenure spanning roughly 35-years, defined by fights over home rule and full congressional representation for the capital.
For many D.C. voters, Norton has been the only congressional delegate they have ever known. Her decision to step aside after 18 terms opened the first truly competitive race for the seat in decades and set off a scramble among local Democrats seeking to inherit one of the districts most symbolic political posts.
White will advance to the November general election, where the Democratic nominee will be heavily favored in overwhelmingly Democratic Washington, D.C.
Republican Denise Rosado is running unopposed for the GOP nomination, while at least one third-party candidate, Kymone Freeman, is also seeking the nonvoting delegate seat.
