As US Representative Nancy Pelosi moves closer to securing the votes to become House of Representatives speaker, the stage is being set down-ballot for the next generation of leaders jockeying to be the Democrats’ heirs apparent.
Pelosi’s return to the speaker’s office is not a lock. One more newly elected Democrat, US Representative Gil Cisneros, on Monday announced that he was adding his name to those vowing to vote for new leadership.
Yet even as Pelosi faces persistent opposition, her opponents have suffered a string of setbacks.
Pelosi turned one would-be challenger into a supporter by doling out a subcommittee gavel and flipped other opponents to the yes column with commitments to address their legislative priorities.
With Cisneros, the group now has 16 names on a letter seeking new leadership, almost as many as when it started after the midterm election.
US Representative Seth Moulton, an organizer of the effort against Pelosi, on Monday said that he never intended to target just her, but wants a clean sweep of the top three Democratic leaders.
In a statement, Moulton said he is seeking “a serious conversation about promoting leaders who reflect the future.”
He and Pelosi have not yet talked.
“This is so much bigger than her,” Moulton said. “It’s about the entire, stagnant, three-person leadership team.”
Separately, nine Democrats in the Problem Solvers Caucus said they would only support a speaker who agrees with rules changes to open the process for moving legislation.
US Representative Josh Gottheimer said he had a “constructive” conversation with Pelosi over the holiday break and he hopes she gets “on board.”
Some of those who signed the letter from Moulton’s effort might be willing to reach a deal that would guarantee a fresh round of leadership elections a year from now, earlier than the typical two-year term, an aide close to the group said.
That seems unlikely.
The No. 2 and No. 3 Democrats — US Representative Steny Hoyer, who would be the majority leader in the new House, and US Representative Jim Clyburn, who would be whip — have all but locked up the votes and are running unopposed.
Pelosi has said that while she does not plan to keep her hold on power forever — she calls her bid a transition to the new generation of leaders — she has also shown no interest in making herself a lame-duck leader.
As House Democrats meet behind closed doors today to start voting, it seems increasingly likely that Pelosi’s team would emerge intact and that is causing much maneuvering, as up-and-comers position themselves to be next in line once Pelosi’s generation eventually steps down.
Notably, virtually none of them is clamoring against Pelosi.
At the forefront is US Representative Ben Ray Lujan, the low-key New Mexico Democrat who helped usher in the majority as chairman of House Democrats’ campaign committee.
He is running unopposed for the No. 4 job as assistant Democratic leader.
Others are staking their claims on lower rungs: US Representative Hakeem Jeffries is running for caucus chair against veteran US Representative Barbara Lee; they are both prominent members of the Black Caucus.
US Representative David Cicilline wants to helm policy and communications. US Representative Cheri Bustos, from an Illinois district that supported US President Donald Trump, is aiming for campaign chief against several others.
Even farther down the ladder are another half a dozen Democrats competing for vice chair of the caucus or positions on the expanded policy and communications committee.
They are largely concentrating on their own races, which are to be determined today. The speaker’s contest would not be settled until the full US House of Representatives votes in January.
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