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The ongoing battle to obtain statehood for Washington D.C. will see the ballot come November, but Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said it would take both Republican and Democratic support to see the vote through.

In an exclusive interview with Radio One’s EZ Street during the Republican National Convention, Bowser stressed that the fight to make D.C. the 51st state is not a partisan issue, although the backdrop of a historic and bizarre election stands behind it.

“We know that it’s going to take Democratic and Republicans to achieve full statehood for Washington,” she told EZ Street and NewsOne.

“We pay more taxes than 22 states in the union, we’re larger than two states of the union. We’re a fiscally healthy jurisdiction. We pretty much function like a state but we don’t have full representation. We don’t have a vote in the House of Representatives and we don’t have voting senators.”

While discussing the upcoming election, which has no doubt been influenced by social movements focused on criminal justice reform to legalizing marijuana, the mayor suggested that any issue on the front lines can be considered by presidential candidates with the right amount of pressure.

“There can be a sea change in thought and people who want to see change happen have to be persistent and have to be ready.”

Watch the full interview above to hear Bowser discuss the challenges her residents face in what could be a historic and unprecedented change to the landscape of America.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

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