U.S. Senator ("shadow") · District of Columbia

How will you use this job to protect our rights and keep Congress and the President out of our local government business?

I will continue work to protect our rights and keep Congress and the President out of our local government business.

In the past two years, what two important things have you done to help make DC a state?

I have worked to strengthen civic participation and bring a broader range of District residents into the conversation about DC's future. Through my public-service, business, and community activities, I have emphasized that more than 700,000 District residents deserve meaningful representation and a strong voice in the federal decisions that affect them. I have also used my candidacy to engage voters who may not traditionally participate in the statehood debate and to encourage a more bipartisan discussion of representation, local self-government, and DC's relationship with Congress.

How will you show people across the country that DC does not have full and fair voting rights?

I will make the issue understandable to Americans outside Washington by focusing on the facts: District residents pay federal taxes, serve in the military, and fulfill the responsibilities of American citizenship, yet DC does not have voting representation in the U.S. Senate or House. I will engage civic organizations, elected officials, universities, businesses, veterans, and media throughout the country to explain this unique situation and encourage informed discussion about representation and self-government.

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In the past two years, what two important things have you done to help make DC a state?

As the ranking member of the DC Statehood Congressional Delegation, I have led our efforts to fund and implement Statehood Initiatives in conjunction with the New Columbia Statehood Commission. I have traveled to and engaged with State and local Legislators in targeted States to promote support for DC Statehood in areas where we need it most. I have continued to recruit high profile celebrity ambassadors for our "51 Stars" DC Statehood PSA Initiative. I have also worked with International Organizations, like the UNPO and other NGO's to frame the denial of DC's Self-Determination as an International Human Rights issue. This is all in addition to my direct engagement with Members of Congress on Capitol Hill.

How will you show people across the country that DC does not have full and fair voting rights?

By actually going "across the country" and continuing to directly engage with leaders. I will continue to travel to targeted states and engage with Legislators, as well as other community leaders in specific communities to promote support for DC Statehood in areas where we need to raise awareness the most. I will continue to recruit additional high profile celebrity participants for the "51 Stars" DC Statehood PSA Initiative and use those PSA's "across the country" in the parts of the US we need to visit the most. I also think it is important to promote close relations with the other territories. I went to Guam met with their Territorial Legislature and Governor, and Puerto Rico where I met with and trained their "shadow" Delegation.

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D.C. representation

I, Rob Simmons, am running for the position of D.C. Senator to ensure that Washington, D.C. has a voice in the U.S. Senate. We deserve full representation and the ability to govern ourselves without overreach from Washington, D.C.

D.C.

I love Washington DC, and I am grateful to be a part of such a vibrant community.