Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin may launch a bid to become ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee this week, setting up a challenge against longtime Democratic Rep. Jerry Nadler (N.Y.).
It’s one of several contests among House Democrats for top committee posts, part of the fallout from the Nov. 5 elections. Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) is challenging Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) for ranking member of the Natural Resources Committee. On the Agriculture Committee, Reps. Jim Costa (D-Calif.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.) are looking to supplant the ailing, 79-year-old Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.), who has long drawn concern over his ability to handle the post.
If Raskin challenges Nadler — which we scooped for you back on Nov. 21 — he stands a good chance of winning. That would set off a succession struggle atop the Oversight Committee that could lead to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) emerging as the ranking member, depending on who gets into that race.
House Democrats’ Steering and Policy Committee is likely to organize this week, we’re told. The ranking members for the “exclusive committees” — Appropriations, Energy and Commerce, Financial Services and Ways and Means — would then be approved. That’s Democratic Reps. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), Frank Pallone (N.J.), Maxine Waters (Calif.) and Richie Neal (Mass.) respectively, all four of whom are expected to be reupped by acclamation.
Final decisions on the contested committees would then be pushed to next week.
Raskin has refused to say what his plans are yet, but he didn’t rule out a challenge to the 77-year-old Nadler during an appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.
“We’re just getting back into that now as we form the Steering and Policy Committee,” Raskin told guest host Kasie Hunt. “So I’m not ruling anything out at this point. And we’re engaged in conversations, all with the purpose of creating a strategic focus and capacity within the Democratic members of the House, so that we’re going to be a really effective and muscular opposition.”
For his part, Nadler said he is “ready, willing and able to take on Donald Trump and House Republicans.” Nadler spent the weekend making calls to his Democratic colleagues, we’re told.
The House Judiciary Committee — chaired by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) — will find itself in the middle of expected fights over immigration, trade, abortion and other Trump-related issues. Nadler is seen by some of his colleagues as not up to the task, while Raskin is one of the most effective messengers and public speakers in the caucus.
But Nadler has allies, and he and Raskin are personally close, which has made this a difficult situation for the Maryland Democrat. A number of top Democrats, though, privately are in favor of a switch.
The Oversight post is one to watch if Raskin takes the Judiciary spot. AOC, as well as Reps. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), are all in the mix as potential Raskin successors. AOC — just in her third term — would be viewed as a strong choice by many Democrats.
The House Republican Steering Committee will meet just once this week — Dec. 3 at 3 p.m. — to consider Rep. Sam Graves’ (R-Mo.) request for a waiver to continue serving as the chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. The steering committee has turned sharply against granting waivers for lawmakers to circumvent the six-year term limit.
The GOP steering panel will move to the contested gavel battles next week.
