New Gallup poll finds majority of Americans are against DC statehood

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) -- There could be a double-dose of trouble for D.C.'s fight to become the 51st state. A new national poll shows an overwhelming majority of Americans are against statehood for the District, and that's not the only hurdle, a hearing on the issue is now on hold.

A recent Gallup poll finds 64 percent oppose D.C. statehood, while only 29 percent support D.C. statehood. If you think D.C.'s member of Congress, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton is discouraged by this, guess again. She says she feels "any press is good press."

"It's full of silver lining. I'm so pleased that Gallup poll has made our bill go national. Most Americans have no idea whether we have statehood or not and it didn't even have a 'don't know' answer, so you had to be one or the other," said Holmes Norton.

The House was going to hold the first hearing on D.C. statehood in 25 years on July 24 but that's now on hold to be overshadowed by Special Counsel Robert Mueller's new hearing date on the same day.

D.C. statehood supporters say it's a civil rights issue for 700,000 residents who pay taxes but are disenfranchised by not having a vote in Congress.

The statehood hearing is now expected to be pushed back to the fall.

Norton's bill has 200 co-sponsors in the House and 33 in the Senate. It's likely to pass the House, Norton concedes Democrats would have to win back the Senate from the GOP to have a chance to pass the Senate.