88-year-old Democrat brings campaign to a screeching halt

The congressional representative for Washington, D.C., has filed to end her re-election campaign after 18 consecutive terms in the House.

Democrat Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton has served as D.C.'s representative since 1991 and is now retiring at 88 years old. Norton's career was commended by her Democrat allies, but several colleagues have privately expressed concerns about cognitive decline leading up to the suspension of her re-election campaign.

'I will retire at the end of this term.'

"With fire in my soul and the facts on my side, I’ve raised hell about the injustice of denying 700K taxpaying Americans in DC the same rights given to residents of the states for 33 years," Norton said in a post on X.

"Now, with pride in our accomplishments, gratitude to DC, and confidence in the next generation, I announced I'll retire at the end of this term."

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Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Notably, Norton officially filed paperwork to suspend her campaign on Sunday and didn't release her official statement until Tuesday.

"The privilege of public service is inseparable from the responsibility to recognize when it's time to lift up the next generation of leaders," Norton said in the statement. "For D.C., that time has come. With pride in all we have accomplished together, with the deepest gratitude to the people of D.C., and with great confidence in the next generation, I announced today that I will retire at the end of this term."

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Photo by Tom Brenner for the Washington Post via Getty Images

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) congratulated Norton on her career, which spanned over three decades, calling her "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 said in a statement. "Her work embodies the unwavering resolve of a city that refuses to yield in its fight for equal representation."

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