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By Gabe Whisnant
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Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton's office is walking back earlier comments suggesting she would run for reelection in 2026, clarifying that no final decision has been made.
Norton, 88, told NBC News' Sahil Kapur on Wednesday afternoon that she will seek reelection as a Delegate to the U.S. House for the District of Columbia.
Kapur posted on X, formerly Twitter, "Just now — @EleanorNorton tells me she's made up her mind and will in fact seek another term in the House in 2026: "Yeah, I'm gonna run for re-election."
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However, about an hour later on Wednesday, Axios' Cuneyt Dil and Andrew Solender reported that Sharon Nichols, Norton's spokesperson, said, "No decision has been made. She wants to run but is still discussing it with people closest to her."
Newsweek has reached out to Nichols via email on Wednesday night for comment.
This marks the second instance this month where Norton has informed a reporter of her intention to seek re-election, only for her office to subsequently retract the statement.
On June 10, Norton's office told Kapur, after an earlier confirmation from Norton, "She wants to run again but she's in conversations with her family, friends, and closest advisors to decide what's best."
Norton has served as the Delegate for Washington, D.C., since 1991.
The Democratic Party has been criticized in recent years for maintaining a gerontocracy—being ruled by the elderly—instead of shifting direction with a new generation of voices.
What to Know About Congressional Delegates
Congressional delegates represent U.S. territories and the capital in the House of Representatives. While they can introduce legislation, serve on committees, and participate in debates, they do not have full voting rights on the House floor. These delegates serve constituents in non-state jurisdictions like D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
Despite their limited legislative powers, delegates advocate for federal resources for issues affecting their regions. Norton, for example, has been a leading voice on D.C. statehood, public infrastructure, and civil rights since first being elected in 1990.
Eleanor Holmes Norton's Political Career
Norton first gained national prominence as the assistant legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and later as the first female Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) from 1977 to 1981, where she implemented landmark regulations to combat workplace discrimination.
Norton has long championed legislation to grant the District of Columbia full congressional representation and greater autonomy, a cause that has defined much of her tenure in the House. Since first taking office in 1991, the veteran Democrat has introduced or supported every major push for D.C. statehood and expanded self-governance, arguing that the city's more than 700,000 residents deserve the same rights as other Americans. Norton's efforts have included advocating for budgetary independence, criminal justice reform, and the elimination of congressional oversight over local D.C. laws.
"Taxation without representation is more than a slogan—it's the lived reality of my constituents every day," Norton said in a recent statement. "I will not stop fighting until the people of the District have full and equal rights in their own capital." While her proposals have repeatedly passed the House in recent years, they have stalled in the Senate, where statehood for D.C. remains a deeply divisive issue along party lines.
Updates: 6/25/25, 7:55 p.m. ET: This article was updated with new information.
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