40 percent say give D.C. to Maryland

More than a third of Americans believe the best solution to D.C.'s lack of representation is to cede the District's residential areas to Maryland, according to a new survey.

Only 20 percent of the 1,000 likely U.S. voters surveyed this weekend by Rasmussen Reports thought D.C. should be a state. Forty-five percent said the District's representative should be allowed to vote, compared with 42 percent who did not.

But voters were also asked, "Which is the best approach - to give the District a vote in the House, to give the residential areas back to Maryland, or to keep things the way they are now?" According to Rasmussen, 40 percent backed returning parts of the District to Maryland, 26 percent opted to maintain the status quo, 25 percent said give D.C. a vote and 9 percent weren't sure.

The Maryland idea is especially popular among House and Senate conservatives who believe the D.C. voting rights act making its way through Congress is unconstitutional. The legislation, which won Senate approval last week and is on the House docket this week, would expand the House by two seats, one for D.C. and the other for Utah.

Ceding residential portions of D.C. to Maryland, some Republicans say, is a constitutional way of accomplishing D.C.'s goal: full congressional representation. An amendment to that end offered by Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., during the floor debate was resoundingly defeated.

"It is presented as the only other logical alternative for the residents of the District of Columbia to have their own congressional district," Kyl said from the Senate floor.

Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, a co-sponsor of the voting rights bill, also backed Kyl's amendment.

"I have long believed that the general idea of retrocession has some merit, but that it must be done right," Hatch said in a statement. "It must, for example, have the support not only of Maryland but also District residents. No one who, like I do, believes in the conservative principle of federalism would support Congress forcing this upon them."

Rasmussen asked poorly worded questions designed to "test Republican talking points and deflate the numbers," said Ilir Zherka, executive director of D.C. Vote. The survey does not reflect the strong opinion of most Americans, who believe the District deserves a vote, Zherka said, citing other polls.

"It's an uninformed electorate nationwide," said Ward 2 D.C. Councilman Jack Evans. "They don't understand the 200 years of the District and its relationship with Maryland."

WTOP asked you to text in your answer to this question: Should D.C. become a state?

Here are the results of the unscientific poll:

NO -- 56.2 percent
YES -- 43.8 percent

Here are some of the comments you've texted in as you've voted in WTOP's text survey Tuesday morning:

Only by constitutional amendment, but Congress will probably do it unconstitutionally anyway as most laws are that too. It is funny that when it suits them, the Constitution is read literally, but if it does not them they quote imply power. Not right, and the Congress should resign and the president too.

If we can pay the highest federal taxes in the country and sacrifice our lives in Iraq & Afghanistan then we should have at least 1 voting rep!

Read the Constitution! D.C. is a federal territory! If you live there & want to vote, then move! No D.C. vote!

I'm a D.C. native - I understand the desire for a vote but it's unconstitutional. How about no taxes?! :)

If they pay taxes, yes. If they can't vote let them pay no tax.

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