Overview

• Brazile wrote in a Washington Post op-ed that Norton should complete her current term but skip a 2026 reelection bid, calling it the right next chapter for her and for Washington.
• Her plea carries unusual weight because she managed Norton’s first campaign in 1990, later served as her chief of staff for eight years, and has been a close friend for four decades.
• Norton, the House’s oldest member, has recently indicated she would run again after earlier walkbacks in June, and her office did not immediately comment on the op-ed.
• Brazile contends D.C. needs fresher energy as the Trump administration increases federal actions in the city, describing Washington as under pressure and in need of a new champion.
• The 88-year-old nonvoting delegate since 1991 faces primary challengers, including Kinney Zalesne, and has drawn scrutiny after reporters observed her struggling to walk at a recent news conference.