Just like with the late-night votes in the D.C. Council on whether or not to finance the construction of a new stadium a few years back, we all hoped to wake up this morning and find out that the Senate had voted again and decided that voting rights for the District was a go. No such luck. We did, however, pick up a new champion for the cause.

Sen. John Warner (R-Va.) was the only senator from the region to vote against moving forward to grant the District a voting seat in the House of Representatives yesterday. Why? Because he believed, like others did, that the measure was unconstitutional. But apparently, he’s willing to do something about it. According to the Post, Warner is drafting a constitutional amendment to grant the District voting members.

We’ll believe it when we see it, just like we’ll believe that Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) really cares about allowing every American to vote when he agrees to support such an amendment. But if you feel like calling up Sen. Warner’s office to see how the amendment is coming along, we’re not going to stop you. Locally, try (202) 224-2023 or stop by the 225 Russell Building. If you’re elsewhere in Virginia, he has a few state offices you can pester. And if they need a little help getting that amendment along, feel free to read them the following text:

SECTION 1. For purposes of representation in the Congress, election of the President and Vice President, and article V of this Constitution, the District constituting the seat of government of the United States shall be treated as though it were a State.

SECTION 2. The exercise of the rights and powers conferred under this article shall be by the people of the District constituting the seat of government, and as shall be provided by the Congress.

SECTION 3. The twenty-third article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

SECTION 4. This article shall be inoperative, unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.

So come on, Sen. Warner. You’re about to retire, and you’ve got nothing to lose by backing up those words with some action. We’ll be waiting.