Robert White is poised to become the District of Columbia’s next nonvoting delegate to Congress, replacing retiring Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton and bringing a fresh voice to the role for the first time in 36 years.
A current at-large D.C. councilmember, White emerged as the victor in Tuesday’s Democratic primary in the District, all but guaranteeing a general election win this fall in the deep-blue stronghold.
White was leading the Democratic field with 63 percent of the vote when The Associated Press called the race shortly after midnight. Fellow councilmember Brooke Pinto trailed with around 22 percent in the primary, which also included former Justice Department official Kinney Zalesne, former Norton staffer Trent Holbrook and former Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Greg Jaczko. White will next face lawyer Denise Rosado, who was unopposed for the Republican nomination.
White had endorsements from Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and the campaign arms of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus. Pinto supporters included Sens. Angela Alsobrooks of neighboring Maryland and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.
White’s likely victory in November would mark a new era for D.C. on the Hill. Over the past half-century, only two people have held the nonvoting seat in Congress representing the District’s now roughly 700,000 residents — Democrats Walter Fauntroy and Norton.
