Rev. Wendy Hamilton Is Running In The June 21 Primary To Be DC's Next Delegate To Congress

WASHINGTON, DC — Rev. Wendy Hamilton, a 53-year-old truancy counselor with D.C. Public Schools, is running to be the District's next delegate in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Hamilton is on the ballot for the June 21 Democratic Party Primary. She's running against incumbent Eleanor Holmes Norton and fellow challenger Kelly Mikel Williams. The winner will square off against Republican Nelson F. Rimensnyder in the Nov. 8 general election.

Patch has asked each of the candidates running in select races to fill out a questionnaire, sharing facts about themselves and why voters should choose them to represent their party in November.

Name

Rev. Wendy Hamilton

Campaign website

Rev. Wendy For Congress

DC Neighborhood

Ward 8 - Bellevue neighborhood

Office sought

DC Delegate - US House of Representatives

Party affiliation

Democrat

Education

M.A Howard University School of Divinity

Occupation

Truancy Counselor -DCPS

Family

I have one daughter aged 29 with an MSW from USC who also works in DCPS and is mother to my new grandson Myles who just turned 2.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Not at this time

Age

53

Previous public office, appointive or elective

I have worked as a Hill Staffer and as a member of Presidential campaign staff, but have never held elected office myself.

Why are you seeking this office?

I’m running for Congress/ DC Delegate to represent the broad voices and diverse interests of residents across all 8 wards of our great city.

It’s time for a representative who has the future of DC in mind and the policy platform to get us there, a Delegate is who present in and to the community and shows up regularly to connect with constituents because connected representation empowers voters.

The landscape of DC is quickly changing before our very eyes and raising the concerns of many of our residents who have lived in this community for generations. We need to be proactive in our preparation and plans for our people.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Economic instability and uncertainty. Apart from lack of Statehood, which is also critically important, many DC residents, small business owners and families are struggling to recover from the last few years of adversity. The pandemic truly upended everything which is why I would propose a Universal Basic Income pilot within my first 51 days as Delegate to get monthly recurring cash payments into the hands of DC residents and provide a financial lifeline that so many need right now.

What is your position on DC statehood?

DC Statehood is paramount to our ability to thrive in this Democracy. It is a human/voting rights, issue, it is a racial justice issue, and it transcends ideology. The fact that nearly 700,000 of us pay taxes, more federal taxes per capita than any other state, by the way and don’t have voting representation in Congress is absurd. We have more population than Vermont and Wyoming who both have voting members and yet we remain subject to the whims of Congress who get to dictate to us what’s best for our residents is unacceptable. We need DC Statehood now

How would you address the problem of gun violence in the District?

It’s going to take a multi pronged approach, one that includes law enforcement, mental health and social service providers, violence interrupters and a crackdown on the number of guns and ghost guns finding their way into the streets of our city and the hands of our youth in particular. It is alarming and must be mitigated. We also need to look at poverty rates which often underlie violent/criminal activity and find ways to alleviate that at the same time.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The major difference I would suggest is plans, policies and outlook. I’m focused squarely on DC’s future and how to address the needs of our city moving forward. I’d continue to build on what’s worked from the past, including our progress toward Statehood but I also believe there are pertinent issues we can be focusing on right now, like economic justice, housing, criminal justice reform and universal healthcare that would bring tangible solutions to DC residents lives right now. That’s my goal.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community?

I feel like the incumbent has missed an opportunity over the last 32 years to expand the scope of and demonstrate the potential in what the role can be. While she’s successfully focused on DC Statehood there are so many other opportunities for representation and leadership in that role, that constituents have been asking for, that have gone unaddressed, for most of her tenure. Residents want more advocacy, more connected leadership and more community engagement and access. I would provide that and more.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign?

Some of the issues I’ve been bringing attention to are educational reform. As an employee with DC Public Schools I have seen first hand the need for improvements across the board and have some ideas on ways to approach this critical area. I’ve also marched for voting rights, and protested outside the Supreme Court for women’s rights recently in light of the leaked Roe v. Wade draft. There are a myriad of issues that impact DC and we have to be on the frontlines foe what is to come.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Having worked as a Hill Staffer for several years and experience the environment up close and personal is beneficial. I’ve also worked as a social justice advocate with organizations like the NAACP headquarters in Baltimore where I served in an executive capacity gaining valuable knowledge and insight regarding some of our most pressing national issues including the death penalty, hate crimes, and voting rights. Most recently I also served as the Spiritual and Cultural Outreach Director for 2020 Presidential campaign of Andrew Yang. These collective experiences, I believe, have equipped me well.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you?

That people will forget what you said and people will forget what you do, but people will never forget how you make them feel. It’s a quote by Maya Angelou but a sentiment often shared by my late mother. I endeavor to live by it

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

My inspiration for running for this role comes from my faith God , my experience as a servant leader and my deep love for DC .

Over these past 15 months on the campaign trail that decision has only been reinforced by the thousands of conversations I’ve had with residents all over the city who want to see us thrive and succeed together.

Im not a politician and I believe that’s a good thing. I’m not just running represent you, I am you ... and we’d be doing this thing..together. I’m asking for your vote on June 21st.

Related:

Candidate Profile: Eleanor Holmes Norton For DC's Delegate To Congress