WASHINGTON 鈥斅燚.C. Council member Jack Evans said that having a Democratic president will be a smoother road to statehood than a Republican presidency.
At the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser cast 39 of the District鈥檚 44 votes for Hillary Clinton.
鈥淭he next president of the United States Hillary Rodham Clinton will sign our admission into the United States of America as the 51st state,鈥� Bowser said.
Evans said that he has a vision and Bowser has done a great job keeping the issue of statehood on the forefront.
鈥淲e have a constitution written up, so as soon as Hillary becomes president, we鈥檒l be in a position to have a bill for Congress to look at, for her to look at,鈥� Evans said.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump鈥檚 comments on statehood were that he would do his best for the citizens of the District of Columbia, Evans said.
But Evans said that he believes that it would be a tougher fight with Trump because 鈥渢he Republicans are clearly very adamant against鈥� statehood. 鈥淚t would be a tougher sell,鈥� Evans said.
Evans, the longest-serving lawmaker in the council elected in 1991, said that Clinton’s聽support goes back to 1992 with her husband President Bill Clinton, who also supported D.C. statehood.
鈥淚t was a tough time in the District of Columbia in 1992 because our economy was a wreck,鈥� he said.
Another alternative to statehood Evans is hoping for is a Democratic sweep in the Senate and the House of Representatives. 鈥淭hat will be helpful to us in advancing our agenda,鈥� Evans said.
鈥淲e are 670,000 taxpaying Americans, just like you. And with statehood 鈥� and only with statehood 鈥� will we have the votes in Congress just like you,鈥� Bowser said, as she cast the District鈥檚 vote in Philadelphia.
海角社区app’s Nick Iannelli contributed to this report.
