DC statehood promotion on the line in Astros-Nationals World Series bet

The World Series gets going Tuesday evening, and as with every major championship matchup, we get politicians placing bets. Even though sports betting has only started growing since the Supreme Court struck down PASPA in 2018, the friendly wager between politicians is one of the oldest traditions in the book.

Members of Congress engage in these wagers, and this year’s World Series offers a unique opportunity. Washington, D.C. has a non-voting delegate in the House of Representatives. The District has been refused statehood for years now, leaving its residents (this author included) without true representation in the federal government.

DC delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton decided to use the World Series to promote DC statehood. She challenged Houston-based Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee to wager on the outcome of the series. If the Astros win, Norton will wear an Astros jersey and pose for a photo with Jackson Lee. However, if the Nationals win, Jackson Lee and her staff would have to take a photo wearing D.C. statehood t-shirts.