D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton Announces Retirement

The 88-year-old nonvoting House member has served for three decades.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 1:15pm

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Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, who has served as Washington, D.C.'s nonvoting representative in Congress for three decades, announced on Tuesday that she plans to retire at the end of her term. The 88-year-old Democrat is the oldest person serving in the House and had faced increasing signs of mental and physical decline in recent years, though she had repeatedly insisted she had no intention of stepping aside.

Why it matters

Norton's retirement marks the end of an era for D.C. representation in Congress, as she has been a forceful voice for statehood and voting rights for the nation's capital for decades. Her exit also highlights the broader issue of aging lawmakers in Congress and raises questions about when it's time for long-serving politicians to step aside.

The details

Norton, a civil-rights leader and former law professor, entered Congress in 1991 and earned the moniker of D.C.'s 'warrior on the Hill' for her decades-long fight for statehood. However, in recent years her voice has diminished on Capitol Hill, as she has said little since President Trump's return to office, even as Republicans wielded their power to increase federal control over the city she represents.

  • Norton announced her retirement on January 27, 2026.
  • Norton had served in Congress for three decades, first elected in 1991.

The players

Eleanor Holmes Norton

The 88-year-old nonvoting delegate for Washington, D.C., who has served in Congress for three decades and has been a forceful voice for statehood and voting rights for the nation's capital.

Muriel E. Bowser

The mayor of Washington, D.C., who praised Norton's work and said it 'embodies the unwavering resolve of a city that refuses to yield in its fight for equal representation.'

Nancy Pelosi

The former Speaker of the House, who praised Norton for fighting 'with deep patriotism for the people of the District of Columbia, honoring the history and promise of Washington while never wavering in her demand for justice.'

Trent Holbrook

A former top staff member who had already announced plans to run for Norton's seat even before she announced her retirement.

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What they’re saying

“Thank you to my constituents for choosing and trusting me to fight for you in Congress 18 times. I will leave this institution knowing that I have given you everything I have.”

— Eleanor Holmes Norton

“The privilege of public service is inseparable from the responsibility to recognize when it's time to lift up the next generation of leaders. For D.C., that time has come.”

— Eleanor Holmes Norton

“Eleanor fought with deep patriotism for the people of the District of Columbia, honoring the history and promise of Washington while never wavering in her demand for justice.”

— Nancy Pelosi, Former Speaker of the House

“Norton's work embodies the unwavering resolve of a city that refuses to yield in its fight for equal representation.”

— Muriel E. Bowser, Mayor of Washington, D.C.

What’s next

A former top staff member, Trent Holbrook, and several members of the D.C. City Council had already announced plans to run for Norton's seat even before she announced her retirement.

The takeaway

Norton's retirement marks the end of an era for D.C. representation in Congress, as she has been a leading voice for statehood and voting rights for the nation's capital for decades. Her exit also highlights the broader issue of aging lawmakers in Congress and the need for a new generation of leaders to step up and continue the fight for D.C. residents to have full representation in the federal government.