D.C. Council member Robert White Jr. won the Democratic primary for the District of Columbia’s nonvoting seat in the U.S. House, defeating fellow council member Brooke Pinto and putting him on track to succeed longtime delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, who has held the post since 1991 and is not seeking another term.
Robert White Jr. won the Democratic nomination on June 16, 2026, in the race for the District of Columbia’s nonvoting delegate seat in Congress, defeating Ward 2 Council member Brooke Pinto. News organizations citing election returns reported White with roughly 63% of the vote to Pinto’s roughly 21% when the race was called. (axios.com)
Because Washington, D.C., votes overwhelmingly Democratic, White is widely expected to win the November 2026 general election and become the next delegate, replacing Eleanor Holmes Norton, who has represented the District as a nonvoting House delegate since 1991 and is not running again. (apnews.com)
White is an at-large member of the D.C. Council first elected in 2016 and has described himself as a fifth-generation Washingtonian. He previously worked for Norton as a member of her congressional staff, according to biographical accounts. (apnews.com)
In the campaign, White emphasized issues including affordability and public safety, while also focusing on Washington’s autonomy and the limits Congress and the White House can place on local government. The contest grew more contentious earlier in the race after White accused Pinto’s campaign of posting an opposition-research file on its website that included personal details; local reporting said the document was later replaced with a shorter revised version. (wtop.com)
Norton, who is 89, had faced renewed questions about her health and capacity after reports that she was the victim of a scam in 2025 that resulted in a loss of about $4,400, according to an account of a police report cited in media coverage. (thedailybeast.com)
