David Krucoff, a politician running as an independent for D.C. delegate, has been trying to convince the public that the District should become a county of Maryland, instead of an individual state.
As he is competing against incumbent Eleanor Holmes Norton, who is a vehement supporter of D.C. statehood, Krucoff’s promise stands out, while there has been a wide movement working for D.C. to be granted the status of a state over so many years.
The real-estate executive proposes to make the city Douglass County, Maryland, in reference to abolitionist Frederick Douglass, a native of Maryland.
Krucoff’s plan named “retrocession” emphasizes that D.C. residents would be entitled to voting representation in Congress.
It was great to file w/ the FEC this morning. Jay, thank you for covering that action. Our campaign for obtaining complete voting rights for us, the residents of DC has just begun. We look forward to advocating & campaigning w/ dignity, empathy & passion. We are one. https://t.co/OMZVP5dUs0
— David Krucoff (@dkrucoff) September 17, 2019
“It’s a win for D.C., obviously,” he was quoted as saying by WTOP. “We become citizens that are not second class, we become whole.”
Krucoff started a nonprofit in 2016 to fight for retrocession and has been holding talks with the District’s Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, even though he has not been able to gain support from any local politicians for his cause.
Krucoff told Washingtonian last year that he did not find independent statehood realistic and thinks of his plan as a solution that could unite people: “Fifty stars on the flag is a beautiful thing. It’s not changing, okay? If we can understand that, we can have a congressperson.”
A poll conducted by Gallup and released back in July demonstrated that 64 percent of the U.S. population were opposing the idea of giving Washington, D.C. statehood, and only 29 percent were in favor of it.