GOP senator suggests residents of DC are not 'real people'
Over 720,000 Americans live in Washington, D.C. Most of them are Black.

Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) said on Wednesday that politicians should leave Washington, D.C., and go where “the real people” are to find out how they feel about issues.
“Sometimes I think it’s important for senators and congressmen, in fact most of the time, get out of this city, go out to where the real people are at, across our country, and ask them what they think,” Daines said.
Daines made his comment at a press conference arranged by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to voice opposition to recently passed House legislation that would make Washington, D.C., a state. Donald Trump recently threatened to veto the legislation if it passes both houses of Congress.
Over 720,000 American citizens live in the city. According to the 2010 census, over 50% of D.C. residents are Black, 9.1% are Latino, and 3.5% are Asian.
Those residents do not have representation in the Senate and are represented in the House by Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, who cannot vote on legislation. Residents of D.C. do, however, pay federal taxes.
From a July 1 press conference:
SEN. STEVE DAINES (R-MT): You get outside the Beltway and the craziness here of Washington, D.C., the American people agree with us. In 2019, Gallup polled this. Sixty-four percent of the American people did not want to see D.C. statehood. Only 29% supported it.
Sometimes I think it’s important for senators and congressmen, in fact most of the time, get out of this city, go out to where the real people are at, across our country, and ask them what they think.
They see this as a power grab, and they see this as Pelosi and D.C. at its worst.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.
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