Clark launches bid to be Democratic whip

Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) on Friday launched her bid to become the second-ranking Democrat in the next Congress, a spot that was cleared a day earlier when Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said he would leave the leadership ranks next year.

Clark, a 10-year veteran, currently serves as the assistant Speaker — the fourth-ranking position within the Democrats’ hierarchy — and her announcement to seek a promotion to the whip position was no surprise. 

Clark is part of a trio of Democratic leaders — Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.) and Pete Aguilar (Calif.) are the other two — that’s been widely expected to seek the top three spots in the caucus whenever the chance arose.

That chance came on Thursday, when both Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Md.) and Hoyer, the House majority leader, announced they would cede their leadership positions next year, even as they would remain in Congress in a more everyday role. 

Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.), who has served as the third-ranking Democrat since 2006, also endorsed the ascension of Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar. But unlike Pelosi and Hoyer, Clyburn wants to remain a part of the party brass as the assistant leader, according to multiple sources — a spot that would fall to No. 4 on the leadership totem next year, below the caucus chair. 

That could force a battle between Aguilar and Rep. Joe Neguse, an up-and-coming Colorado Democrat, for the caucus chairmanship — a spot for which Neguse has already announced his candidacy. 

Clark, meanwhile, has no competition for the whip spot so far. In a letter to fellow Democrats, she vowed to be a line of defense against the Republicans, who will control the House next year with a slim majority, and to empower rank-and-file lawmakers “in the decision-making process.” 

“I will fight for our agenda and your priorities while running a strategic defense,” Clark wrote. “You can trust me to listen to all corners of the Caucus, be results-oriented, and be resolute in my commitment to our values.”

Jeffries and Aguilar are expected to launch their own leadership bids as early as Friday.

Updated at 8:40 a.m.