Scoop: Raskin moves towards bid to oust Nadler on Judiciary

• The impending Trump administration and fully GOP-controlled Congress is fueling a multi-committee push to oust some of House Democrats' oldest leaders in favor of more vigorous alternatives.

What he's saying: "I'm not ruling anything out at this point," Raskin said Sunday in a CNN "State of the Union" appearance.

• He added: "We're engaged in conversations all with the purpose of creating ... a really effective and muscular opposition."
• Raskin's office told Axios he hopes to make his plans clear to his colleagues next week.

What we're hearing: Raskin is leaning towards running after a week of deliberations and has been calling colleagues to gauge support, several senior Democratic sources told Axios.

• Raskin had privately dismissed the notion last week, but a "very heavy pressure campaign" waged by colleagues from various factions swayed him to seriously consider it, according to numerous sources.
• The most notable exhortation came from House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the New York Times first reported and sources confirmed to Axios.
• Raskin has told colleagues that leadership approached him last month about his plans, according to one lawmaker familiar with his comments.

Yes, but: "Leader Hakeem Jeffries has great respect for Ranking Member Jerry Nadler and spent 10 productive years serving alongside him on the House Judiciary Committee," Jeffries spokesperson Andy Eichar told Axios.

• Eichar added: "By tradition, House Democratic leadership does not get involved in internal caucus races and any suggestion to the contrary is false, speculative and entirely reliant once again on unnamed sources."
• A spokesperson for Pelosi did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

State of play: Raskin, 61, is the the current ranking member of the House Oversight Committee and a former Jan. 6 committee member.

• Nadler, 77, has led Democrats on the Judiciary Committee since 2017 and said in a letter last month he is seeking to retain his role.
• There have been pervasive concerns about Nadler's ability to lead his panel in opposition to Republicans and President-elect Trump.

The other side: "I am ready, willing, and able to take on Donald Trump and the House Republicans. I am younger than President Trump, and I have fought him my entire career both in NY and Washington, DC," Nadler said in a statement to Axios. 

• "I will put my record of accomplishment as Chairman and Ranking Member against anyone and I'm honored to have the strong support of the caucus," he added.
• Nadler has been making calls to colleagues during the Thanksgiving break, according to a source close to the New Yorker.
• The source said that, in addition to the "strong support" Nadler has received, some have said a challenge would do "serious harm" to House Democrats.

Zoom out: This would be the third battle between a septuagenarian committee ranking member and one or more relatively younger challengers.

• Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) is challenging House Natural Resources Committee ranking member Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) for his role.
• And Reps. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) and Jim Costa (D-Calif.) are both vying to oust Agriculture Committee ranking member David Scott (D-Ga.).
• In addition to the impending Republican trifecta, Democrats' lack of committee term limits is a significant driver behind these efforts.

What's next: House Democrats' steering committee is expected to meet this month to vote on its recommendations for committee roles.

• The full House Democratic caucus will then have to vote, likely also this month, on whether to ratify those picks.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.