Paul Strauss is currently serving his second term as Shadow Senator from the District of Columbia. As a non-voting representative to the U.S. Senate, Strauss lobbies the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives on behalf of the citizens of D.C. in their attempt to gain full Federal representation, self-determination, and eventually admittance to the union as the nation's 51st state.

First elected in 1996, Senator Strauss is a progressive Democrat who was re-elected in 2002, and 2008 with over 80% of the vote. Pursuant to DNC Rules, Senator Strauss was an automatic SUPERDELEGATE to the 2008 Democratic National Convention that was held this Summer in Denver, Colorado. He had endorsed Barack Obama.