BURSTRep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) won a Democratic Steering and Policy Committee vote Monday to succeed Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) as the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee, advancing him to a full vote of the Democratic caucus.
Huffman won the committee vote, despite Grijalva’s endorsement of Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), the top Democrat on the panel’s oversight subcommittee, for the role.
“Natural Resources has been my highest priority since I came to Congress 12 years ago. It is my life’s work — water, wildlife, fisheries, public lands, tribal issues — and what I know and love the best," Huffman said in a statement after the vote. "I am ready to roll up my sleeves and do the work to protect our treasured natural resources, lift up tribal and frontline communities, and lead us as a team to effectively fight against Trump’s Project 2025 agenda and ensure we win back the House.”
Huffman announced he would challenge Grijalva’s leadership last month, after Grijalva, who has been the committee’s top Democrat since 2015, said he would seek to remain in the post through 2026. However, Grijalva, who was frequently absent from votes in 2024 due to cancer treatments, backtracked shortly after and announced he would clear the way for new leadership.
Grijalva has announced he will retire after his 12th term, which he won this year.
The vote is not the final step for Huffman to assume leadership, but it acts as a recommendation for the full Democratic caucus leading up to votes for committee leadership on Tuesday.
Grijalva is one of two senior Democrats to voluntarily vacate their roles atop committees in the new Congress. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) announced he would relinquish leadership of the House Judiciary Committee to Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.). Losses in the 2024 elections have spurred calls for new and younger leadership, with both the retiring ranking members so far over 75 years old.