Are the stars aligning? We’re slow to trust Tom Davis after he toyed with our heart last week, saying first that a vote for D.C. was a sure thing, then warning us that the road was still quite long and fraught with danger. One thing’s for sure, however. Davis is doing his damnedest to build momentum (Tomentum?) for the bipartisan bill, and he’s close to convincing us it’s a real possibility.

Yesterday, with District officials and D.C. Vote supporters looking on, Davis’ House Government Reform Committee approved the measure to the tune of 29-4, with 14 Republicans joining 15 Democrats in voting yes. The four GOP nays included the vote of Ohioan Rep. Jean Schmidt, who famously called decorated veteran Rep. John Murtha a coward on the floor of the House. And according to the Post story on the vote, former vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp managed to change the mind of one of his compatriots, convincing Rep. Dan Burton that giving the District a vote was a civil rights issue. D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams expressed his happiness with the vote, stating in a press release:

I am extremely pleased by today’s committee vote approving HR 5388. It shows that Democrats and Republicans can come together to agree on at least one thing – that it’s undemocratic for the residents of the District of Columbia not to have a vote in Congress. I hope that the members of the House Judiciary Committee will give this bill the same prompt and favorable consideration.

Lots of barriers still stand in the way, of course, the most immediate of which is a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee. The seriousness of the discussion taking place seems to indicate that the prospects for winning voting rights are good this time around, however, and their ultimate achievement inevitable. We’re interested in seeing your feelings on the matter, though, so take today’s DCist poll: Will D.C. get a House vote this year?

Picture taken by media personality and Fishbowl D.C. editor Patrick Gavin.