House Dem panel leader steps aside in face of potential ouster
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Rep. Raúl Grijalva at the U.S. Capitol on Nov. 30, 2022. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.
House Natural Resources Committee ranking member Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) said Monday he will not seek to retain his committee leadership role in the 119th Congress.
Why it matters: Grijalva faced a tough challenge from Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) fueled by concerns about his ability to lead the panel into the Trump administration.
- Grijalva is one of several septuagenarian committee ranking members currently facing insurgencies from relatively younger colleagues.
Driving the news: "After much thought, I have decided that it is the right moment to pass the torch," Grijalva said in a statement.
- The 76-year-old, who has led Democrats on the panel since 2015, said he did not "make this decision lightly" and said being ranking member has been "the honor of my professional career."
- Grijalva previously said in April that he will not seek reelection to Congress in 2026 after being diagnosed with cancer.
- Grijalva's decision was first reported by Politico.
Between the lines: Huffman, 60, had been predicating his challenge on the argument that Democrats need vigorous committee leadership to fight the impending Republican trifecta in Washington.
- "With the shockwave of Trump's 'First 100 Days' agenda about to slam into our committees, effective committee work led by our Ranking Members will be critical to limiting the damage from Trump's Project 2025 agenda," he wrote in a letter announcing his bid.
- Huffman previously launched a task force during the 2024 election with the aim of countering Project 2025.
What they're saying: Huffman said in a statement that, if elected ranking member, he will ask fellow House Democrats to vote to give Grijalva the title of "Ranking Member Emeritus."
- That is similar to the title of speaker emerita granted to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) after she stepped down from leadership.
- "Rep. Grijalva leaves big shoes to fill, and I will now dedicate myself to building on his legacy of principled and productive leadership," Huffman said.
What to watch: There are still several more committee battles in the offing, with Reps. Jim Costa (D-Calif.) and Angie Craig (D-Minn.) both challenging Agriculture Committee ranking member David Scott (D-Ga.).
- Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), the ranking member of the Oversight Committee, is moving towards a bid to unseat Judiciary Committee ranking member Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), Axios first reported.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.
