"She's missing stuff": Eleanor Holmes Norton's colleagues see signs of decline

Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) has long been a formidable presence in the halls of Congress despite her non-voting status. Now at 88 years old, some of her colleagues tell Axios that presence has diminished considerably.Why it matters: Lawmakers said Norton has been much less involved recently at critical moments for the District, as President Trump and his allies in Congress threaten overturning the city's laws and squeeze its budget.One House Democrat who knows Norton's work from the Oversight Committee told Axios that during efforts to pass D.C. statehood in 2020 and 2021, she "wasn't talking to many people."The lawmaker described a similar dynamic earlier this year when Congress passed a measure that unexpectedly forced D.C. to cut $1.1 billion from its budget."There was a time when she lobbied her colleagues to explain D.C.'s positions," they said. "She doesn't do that anymore."The big picture: While she possesses a robust staff, Norton herself keeps public appearances to a minimum. On rare occasions Norton has talked to reporters this year, her staff twice walked back her answers.Last week Norton staffers hedged after she told reporters she planned to run for a 19th term next year.Mayor Muriel Bowser has ramped up her Hill lobbying in recent years on issues like statehood and revamping RFK Stadium.Norton's floor time dropped from 44 days between 2019 to 2020 to just 18 days from 2023 to 2024. She's spoken a handful of times so far this year.What she's saying: "Last Congress I successfully blocked nearly all of the 100+ federal legislative attacks on D.C," Norton told Axios in a statement, touting getting the statehood bill passed twice in the House.Norton said her office "was on the phone with Republican leadership within minutes" about the D.C. budget issue, adding she has "publicly highlighted this injustice nearly 70 times since then ... and I have no plans to stop until the bill is passed.""D.C. residents have embraced me as their 'Warrior on the Hill,' where I've been privileged to have a long and successful tenure defending D.C. residents."What we're hearing: "She's missing stuff," a senior House Democrat said of Norton's apparent decline, telling Axios that Democratic leadership's deliberations about her potential reelection bid are "delicate."A third House Democrat said their own observation of Norton from working with her on a committee is that she essentially goes through the motions and little else: "She shows up to committee, she reads the speech.""All of that is true," said a fourth House Democrat. "She reads what her staff puts in front of her. She can't say anything she's not reading. That's a staff-driven office now, just like you saw in the Senate with Feinstein," referencing the late California Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein. The other side: Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), the acting ranking member on the House Oversight Committee, said Norton has been "more visible than I've seen most members" as the panel has considered D.C.-related bills."From my own observation, I think she's trying to work her tail off, to be honest with you," Lynch said of Norton. "I see a very productive member."State of play: Norton publicly maintains she is still considering a reelection bid as D.C. Council members publicly express concerns about her running."Through thoughtful discussions with my friends, family, and closest advisors, I'm still considering my options for the next election cycle," she said in her statement on Monday.Between the lines: Many House Democrats declined to weigh in on whether Norton should run — largely because they haven't spoken with her."I don't know that I'm ready to bury [her] yet," said D.C.-area Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.). "We just haven't had conversations about it one way or the other — I haven't anyway."Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told Axios: "I haven't seen her in a little bit, so I haven't had a chance to hear what she has to say."Zoom out: The firestorm over Norton's future comes as Democrats are grappling with aging leadership."We operate at our own peril if we don't accept that there are others who could do our jobs admirably," a fifth House Democrat, who has also served with Norton on committee, told Axios.

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