One D.C. leader is taking a bold approach to attaining statehood for the District. Ever since the movement to add one new state has stalled, how about trying to add two?
D.C. Shadow Rep. Oye Owolewa recently participated in discussions with political leaders from Puerto Rico, where statehood has also gained in popularity.
鈥淲hat we’ve seen in history is that there’s always been a two-state solution, for lack of a better term, in terms of inclusion into becoming a state in the United States,鈥� Owolewa said. “Having that balance of having another territory becoming a state may be a little bit more advantageous to getting the House and the Senate to ultimately support statehood.”
The last time that states joined the union was in 1959 with the additions of Alaska and Hawaii. Before that, it was New Mexico and Arizona in 1912.
鈥淲e have a common goal, which is to achieve equality. And the only way to achieve equality is by becoming a state of the United States,鈥� Charlie Rodriguez, former Senate president of Puerto Rico, said.
Since 2012, there have been four referendums showing support for statehood in Puerto Rico. The most recent one, in 2024, saw nearly 59% of residents there vote in favor of statehood.
鈥淚 believe that we have 鈥� a common goal and we should work together,鈥� Rodriguez said. 鈥淎nd that’s part of the issue that brought me to meet with several D.C. leaders who are involved in the statehood movement in the District.鈥�
However, both admitted that achieving that shared goal will be difficult and is probably more difficult now than it used to be.
鈥淪ome years, it feels like we’re taking two steps forward. Some years, it feels like we’re taking five steps back,鈥� Owolewa said.
Right now, he said that the movement has taken five steps back, with Republicans in control of the White House and both chambers of Congress. Rodriguez said Puerto Rico has also lost ground in its quest.
鈥淯p till recently, the Republican Party endorsed statehood for Puerto Rico. But since Donald Trump, Republicans have rejected making Puerto Rico a state, because they say that if Puerto Rico is admitted as a state, it will be a Democratic state,鈥� Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez didn’t disagree with that assertion, adding that would mean two more Democratic senators and a handful of Democratic representatives, on top of the electoral leanings of D.C. residents. Politically, they admit it will be hard to get the necessary buy-in from congressional Republicans.
鈥淚t’s a fair and just thing to do 鈥� to grant people who are denied equal rights those rights as U.S. citizens should always have,鈥� Rodriguez said.
Both Rodriguez and Owolewa聽also pointed out that when Alaska and Hawaii were admitted to the union, the thought was Alaska voters would align with Democrats and Hawaiian voters would align with Republicans. The opposite happened.
鈥淪o you never know (how) the people will be voting eventually when they become a state,鈥� Rodriguez said. 鈥淏ut there’s no doubt that in the minds of many Republican leaders, the admission of Puerto Rico would be an admission of a state that could be voting Democratic.鈥�
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