House

Stage set for Lujan challenge atop Dems’ campaign arm

by Mike Lillis - 12/01/16 12:30 PM ET

House Democrats on Thursday adopted new rules empowering the entire caucus to select their chief campaign strategist, setting the stage for a challenge to Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) that many see as likely.

“The clear interest in the caucus is having these be elected positions, so I wouldn’t be surprised at all if someone does challenge him,” Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) said after a closed-door meeting in which the change was approved.

“No one’s announced that he or she is running yet, but … the will of the caucus is to give opportunity for more people to compete for these positions,” Moulton added.

Emerging from the same meeting, Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) said she also anticipates a challenger to Lujan’s post atop the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).

“It appeared that way in there,” she said, referring to the closed-door discussion.

Kaptur, echoing the criticisms of a growing number of Democrats, bashed the DCCC as “an impenetrable organization” that favors the coastal districts at the expense of middle-of-the-country states like her Ohio.

While she did not propose any names, Kaptur said improvements at the DCCC will come only “if we get somebody more independent-minded in there, who’s willing to shake things up.”

Lujan, exiting the meeting, declined to comment. His office later confirmed he is running again.

In previous rules, the DCCC chairmanship spot was appointed by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) — a dynamic that’s been increasingly criticized over four straight election cycles that have left the Democrats in the minority.

Those criticisms erupted after last month’s election when Donald Trump won the White House and Republicans in Congress maintained their majorities in both chambers for the next two years.

The results prompted Rep. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) to challenge Pelosi’s 14-year tenure as House Democratic leader, a contest she won easily on Wednesday.

Still, the outcry was loud enough that Pelosi has taken the rare step of backing new caucus reforms designed to empower junior members.

The Democrats adopted several of those changes Thursday morning, including making the DCCC chairman an elected post and splitting the power of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee (DPCC) into three co-chairmanships, to be elected by the full caucus.

At least two lawmakers, Reps. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) and David Cicilline (D-R.I.), are already vying for those DPCC positions. The panel, created in 2015, is now headed by Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), who’s retiring at the end of this Congress.

Democrats on Thursday also approved the creation of two new leadership positions reserved for younger members. The first will be filled by a freshman, to be chosen by the freshman class; the second is set aside for a member of five terms or fewer, to be chosen by the full caucus.

Pelosi issued a statement Thursday hailing the changes.

“The vital efforts of the leaders in these positions will be strengthened by the mandate of their colleagues, and I am eager to partner with them to tackle the work before our country and our caucus,” Pelosi said.

The junior members who led the initial post-election revolt –– an uprising that postponed the leadership elections and prompted the caucus reforms –– are also praising the changes as a good first step in the reckoning process.

Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) said the changes will “bring in more voices that can help us bring in new ideas.” And Rep. Kathleen Rice (D-N.Y.) said the election “post-mortem” is exactly the type of introspection the party needs if it hopes to take back the lower chamber.

“What we are trying to do is take the party back into a winning direction,” Rice said, “and by making these elected rather than appointed positions, that’s … the first step.”

The Democrats are also eying other changes, including the creation of new vice-chairmanships for both congressional committees and the DCCC. Those debates have been postponed, and it’s unclear when a second round of votes might happen.

“Yet to be determined,” Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.), the incoming Democratic Caucus chairman, said after the meeting.

Both Crowley and Ryan said they’re unsure if a figure will emerge to challenge Lujan.

“That’s why we want to give it some time –– but come with some ideas,” Ryan advised a would-be challenger.

“For example, we have 180,000 millennials, on average, in these congressional districts. Right now there’s not a real strategy to talk to them. We think buying TV ads is good [but] they don’t watch TV,” Ryan added.

“Somebody needs to come up with some ideas like that on strategy [and] tactics moving forward.”

Ryan suggested he won’t seek any of the new leadership posts, though he also didn’t rule out that possibility.

“I really haven’t given it much thought,” he said.

The remarks came following a confused, and evidently tedious, meeting of the caucus in the Capitol basement, where most lawmakers emerged unaware of what had happened inside.

Many said the meeting had recessed before any reforms had been adopted. Some suggested the votes wouldn’t happen until January.

Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) called “uncle” and left early. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) bumped into Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), who was heading into the room as she left.

“If you really love word[ing] of rules, you’re going to love this meeting,” she told him.

Blumenauer put his arm around Schakowsky and turned around to leave.

Updated: 2:51 p.m.

Tags Donald Trump Earl Blumenauer