Just two years ago, Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and Jim Clyburn announced they would step away from the House Democratic leadership after more than a decade-and-a-half in charge.
Over the summer, restive Democrats forced the then 81-year-old Joe Biden to withdraw from the presidential race after a cringe-worthy debate performance.
And now, the House Democratic Caucus is moving to purge some of its most veteran lawmakers from key committee positions, another step in a years-long, slow-motion remake of an aging party on Capitol Hill.
This is perhaps the most surprising result of a disappointing election cycle for House Democrats. After one of the least productive Congresses in history, Democrats were hoping to win a majority on Election Day. While they may end up netting two seats, President-elect Donald Trump led the GOP to total control of Washington in January. That crushing blow has forced the House Democratic Caucus to look at who it will rely on to counter Trump’s much-anticipated — and for them, dreaded — return.
The 61-year-old Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) is challenging the 77-year-old Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) for the party’s top slot on the House Judiciary Committee. Democrats plainly want a more combative figure to go toe-to-toe with the panel’s chair, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), a top Trump ally, in fights over immigration, abortion and other key issues. Raskin’s potential departure could also set off a shuffle in the Oversight panel to replace him.
Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) dropped his bid to remain the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, paving the way for Rep. Jared Huffman, a California Democrat 16 years his junior, to move up. Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M., 45, is also taking a “serious look” at running, an aide told us. Grijalva has been diagnosed with lung cancer and has spent long periods absent from Capitol Hill.
Two Democrats — Reps. Jim Costa (Calif.) and Angie Craig (Minn.) — are both seeking to oust Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.) from the party’s top slot on the House Agriculture Committee. Democrats have long griped about the ailing 79-year-old Scott’s ability to lead the panel. Some Democrats are concerned over whether Scott may ever return to Capitol Hill.
Here’s the thing to remember: Challenges like this don’t happen spontaneously, especially in the seniority-obsessed House Democratic Caucus.
These shots at the top of the committee structure only come after a tacit nod from the House Democratic leadership. Sources close to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, House Minority Whip Katherine Clark and House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar have said that the caucus is to “work its will” in selecting ranking members.
In other words, the Democratic leadership is providing absolutely no cover to its lawmakers in top committee slots.
For all of its perceived strengths — gender, racial and ethnic diversity — House Democrats have a huge structural inefficiency. Unlike Republicans, who turn over their committee chairs or ranking members every six years, Democrats don’t have term limits. Some senior House Democrats remain atop their panels for years or even decades.
Ponder this list for a moment:
– Rep. Nydia Velázquez of New York has led the Small Business Committee as chair or ranking member for 26 years.
– Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi has been the top Democrat on the Homeland Security Committee for 19 years.
– Rep. Adam Smith of Washington State has been atop the Armed Services Committee for 13 years.
– Rep. Maxine Waters of California has served as the top Democrat on the Financial Services Committee for 11 years.
– Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey has led Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee for nine years.
– Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia has been the top Democrat on the Education and the Workforce Committee for nine years.
This isn’t an accident. Several of the factions inside the broader Democratic Caucus — especially the powerful Congressional Black Caucus — prioritize committee assignments and seniority, arguing it benefits minority lawmakers in particular. Yet the other side of the seniority coin is that it can allow members to stay in power too long.
House Democrats will likely begin to sort out some of their committee changes this week. The Steering and Policy Committee is expected to organize during the next few days and then ratify its picks for the “exclusive” panels — Appropriations, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services and Ways and Means. The contested committee posts will be voted on next week and then go before the full caucus.
Across the aisle, the House Republican Steering Committee is poised to consider Rep. Sam Graves’ (R-Mo.) request to circumvent the six-year term limit to stay on as the chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for another two years. The steering committee is likely to reject the request.
