House Dem Vows To Run For 19th Term

Long-serving Democratic Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton has confirmed she intends to seek reelection in 2026, brushing aside questions about her age and physical capacity to continue serving in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Norton, who turns 88 this week, has represented the District of Columbia as its non-voting delegate since 1991.

In a brief exchange with reporters on Tuesday, Norton responded decisively when asked about her political future. “Yeah, sure,” she said, according to Politico. When pressed further about concerns surrounding her age, she remarked, “I don’t know why anybody would even ask me,” affirming her plans to remain in the race.

Norton’s comments follow a wave of public debate and media scrutiny regarding aging lawmakers and the broader implications of extended tenure in Congress.

These discussions have intensified in recent years as multiple members across both parties have served well into their 80s and beyond, prompting calls for new leadership and generational change.

Despite the focus on her age, Norton made it clear she considers her performance to be the most relevant metric. “To anyone questioning my ability to continue serving effectively, I have one simple response: My record speaks for itself,” she said in a statement provided to the Daily Caller News Foundation.

A trailblazer in public service, Norton’s résumé includes her appointment by President Jimmy Carter as the first female chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Her decades in Congress have been marked by vocal advocacy for D.C. statehood, civil rights, and local autonomy.

“I’ve been privileged to have a long and successful career defending the rights of D.C. residents, who have embraced me as their Warrior on the Hill,” she said. Norton also noted she is still consulting with friends, family, and advisors before making her final decision official, though her public remarks leave little ambiguity about her intentions.

If reelected, Norton would be 90 years old at the start of her next term.