BURSTA group of swing district House Democrats signaled their support for Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) to succeed Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) as the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee days after Grijalva endorsed Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) for the role.
“The Natural Resources Committee touches all of our districts and it will be a key battleground as we brace for an onslaught of attacks on the fundamental rights of our communities and our precious environment,” the members wrote. “House Democrats will be in great hands with Jared leading this important committee as Ranking Member. We endorse him enthusiastically and urge you to support him in the upcoming caucus election.”
Twenty-three members signed the letter, several of whom either lost their seats or resigned them to seek Senate seats in the 2024 election, including Reps. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Colin Allred (D-Texas), as well as Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), who is leaving the House to run for governor of Virginia.
Several current members of the Natural Resources panel signed onto the letter, including Peltola and Reps. Val Hoyle (Ore.) and Susie Lee (Nev.).
Huffman announced in November that he would seek the leadership spot on the panel, which Grijalva has held for 10 years. Grijalva initially pushed to retain the position for his final term, setting up a clash with Huffman, but reversed course on Dec. 2, calling it "the right moment to pass the torch."
Grijalva has been absent from Congress much of the past year for cancer treatment. He won a 12th term last month.
On Thursday, Grijalva announced his backing of Stansbury, who was elected in 2021 to succeed Interior Secretary Deb Haaland. Stansbury currently serves as ranking member on the panel’s oversight subcommittee.
Huffman expressed confidence that he has the votes to win the position in a statement to The Hill last week, saying “My whip count is already over 150 and climbing, and that’s going to be my singular focus in the days ahead.”
House Democrats are poised to shuffle leadership on multiple committees for the new Congress as lawmakers prepare to conduct oversight of the incoming Trump administration.
Current Judiciary ranking member Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) dropped out of the race for the top spot on that panel, clearing the way for Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.).
Raskin has served as the top Democrat on the Oversight panel, opening up a battle for that spot.
On the Agriculture Committee, Reps. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) and Jim Costa (D-Calif.) have announced challenges to current ranking member Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.).