DC-AL: Fifteen Democrats are running to succeed 18-term U.S. House incumbent in Washington D.C.
Fifteen candidates are running in the Democratic primary for the U.S. House of Representatives in District of Columbia on June 16, 2026. Voters will elect one non-voting member to serve in the U.S. House from Washington D.C.'s at-large U.S. House district. Three candidates—Brooke Pinto, Robert White, and Kinney Zalesne—lead in polling, fundraising, and media attention.
On January 26, 2026, incumbent Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) announced she would not seek re-election in 2026, saying, "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." Norton was first elected in 1991, and will retire after serving 18 terms in Congress.
The Associated Press' Matt Brown wrote, "Her retirement opens up a likely competitive primary to succeed her in an overwhelmingly Democratic city," and NOTUS' Taylor Giorno wrote that the race "is shaping up to be one of the most expensive in the district’s history." While the non-voting delegate cannot cast final votes on bills, they can introduce legislation, serve on and vote in committees, offer amendments, and speak on the U.S. House floor.
Pinto represents Ward 2 on the Washington D.C. city council. Pinto earned her bachelor's degree from Cornell University and her law degree from Georgetown. Before her election to the city council, Pinto was an assistant attorney general in Washington, D.C. Pinto is running on her public service record. Her campaign website says she "has a proven track record of delivering results and will fight on Capitol Hill for our autonomy and self-governance, for our families, for a fair economy for working people, and for public safety in all of our neighborhoods."
https://news.ballotpedia.org/2026/04/10/fifteen-democrats-are-running-to-succeed-18-term-u-s-house-incumbent-in-washington-d-c/