D.C. statehood advocates say they’re thinking tactically in getting behind a compromise voting rights bill, but it won’t deter them from the master strategy.
“D.C. needs a victory,” said DC Vote spokesman Kevin Kiger, whose group has endorsed a bipartisan bill that would give the District one voting member in the House of Representatives.
Kiger says his group isn’t worried that the bill could drain momentum for full statehood for the District.
“We see this as a step, an incremental step,” he said. “D.C. residents should be really excited about it.”
The bill was introduced in May by U.S. Rep. Tom Davis, R-Va. and is now sitting in the House Judiciary Committee. It won the endorsement of Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., who has historically been cool to similar proposals.
Her spokeswoman, Doxie McCoy, said that Norton hasn’t changed her mind about D.C.’s rights.
“This does not mean that we’ve pulled back on any efforts to go for full representation,” McCoy said.
Paul Strauss, D.C.’s shadow senator, said he’s willing to sign off on the bill, too. But he says that even if the bill passes, miracles shouldn’t be expected.
“I think Senate representation is what we really need,” he said. “I don’t think simply having a voting House member will help us with issues on the Hill we need.”
Kigan, the DC Vote spokesman, says that a successful voting rights act will give the voting rights movement a needed boost.
“We don’t see it as something that will be a stumbling block,” he said. “We think it would be something that would give the movement momentum.”
DC Vote has obtained a $500,000 grant from the District government to start up a national ad campaign to raise awareness on D.C.’s plight, Kigan said. Metro ads should be popping up around the region soon.
