Raskin weighs bid to unseat top House Judiciary Democrat
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Rep. Jamie Raskin at a House Oversight Committee hearing on Nov. 19, 2024. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) will announce Monday whether he is challenging Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) as the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: Should he jump in, it would be the latest in a series of challenges against septuagenarian committee leaders by relatively younger Democrats vowing to put up a more vigorous fight against the Trump administration.
- Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) said Wednesday he is running to unseat Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) as the ranking member of the Natural Resources Committee.
- Rep. Jim Costa (D-Calif.) formally announced Thursday morning that he is running to unseat Agriculture Committee chair David Scott (D-Ga.).
What we're hearing: Raskin has not given any public indication he plans to run, and he is fond of his work on the Oversight Committee, a source familiar with the matter told Axios.
- Two House Democrats told Axios that Raskin, the 61-year-old current Oversight Committee ranking member, has discussed the idea with colleagues in recent days.
- "I spoke to Jamie and he hadn't made a decision," said one of the lawmakers on Thursday morning.
Zoom in: Raskin, a former star Jan. 6 committee member, has faced a strong push to run from colleagues, the source familiar with the matter said.
- Nadler has been seen by some Democrats as ill-suited to lead the key panel into the Trump administration.
- Raskin's thinking was first reported by Punchbowl News.
Yes, but: Nadler, 77, wouldn't go down without a fight.
- "I pledge to stand as a bulwark against the MAGA Majority's dangerous agenda," he said in a letter to colleagues on Wednesday announcing his bid for reelection.
- He added: "As a New Yorker, I have stood up to Donald Trump my entire career."
Zoom out: Raskin was a Judiciary member in the 117th Congress, but stepped off last year to serve as House Oversight Committee ranking member while undergoing cancer treatment.
- Raskin's cancer has since gone into remission, and he has been seen as one of the more energetic Democratic committee leaders over the last two years.
- Raskin will make his intentions clear in a letter to fellow Democrats, Axios is told.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional context.
