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Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), the delegate representing Washington, D.C. in Congress, announced the termination of her reelection campaign on Sunday.
This decision was disclosed through a Federal Election Commission filing detailing her campaign’s financial status. At 88, Norton opted to end her campaign amid significant scrutiny regarding her age, health, and mental capacity.
Having served as D.C.’s congressional delegate for over 34 years, Norton had previously faced questions about the longevity of her political career, consistently rejecting suggestions to step aside for a younger candidate. In June, when asked about her intentions for the 2026 election, she stated, “I’m going to run. I don’t know why anyone would even ask me,” according to reports from Politico and NBC News.
Several Democratic challengers had already launched campaigns focused on concerns about her age and health before she decided against running for reelection.
Concerns regarding her mental acuity became public in October when she fell victim to scammers impersonating HVAC technicians. A police report indicated that she exhibited signs of “early stages of dementia,” a claim that had not been disclosed before. Jacqueline Pelt, identified as Norton’s caretaker and power of attorney, was mentioned in the report.
ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON SCAMMED BY FAKE CLEANING CREW AS POLICE SAY DC DELEGATE HAS DEMENTIA
Norton’s office contested several aspects of the police report, particularly the characterization of Pelt, asserting she is “a longtime employee and friend [who] serves as the house manager, residing at a separate address.” They also denied the dementia diagnosis, claiming, “The medical diagnosis included in the police report was based on an assumption the reporting officer was unqualified to make.”
