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Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin on Monday announced that he was challenging New York Democrat Jerry Nadler for the party’s top seat on the House Judiciary Committee.

Nadler announced his bid for the seat, which he currently holds, last week. House Judiciary chairman is Republican Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan. Raskin is currently the ranking member on the House Oversight and Accountability committee. 

Raskin announced his bid in a “Dear Colleague” letter to his fellow House Democrats, according to The Hill. The congressman is a former Constitutional law professor and has become a rising star in Democratic politics.

“After a week consulting most of our Colleagues and engaging in serious introspection about where we are, I am running today to be your Ranking Member on the House Judiciary Committee in the 119th Congress,” Raskin wrote. “This is where we will wage our front-line defense of the freedoms and rights of the people, the integrity of the Department of Justice and the FBI, and the security of our most precious birthright possessions: the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, the rule of law, and democracy itself.”

The congressman praised Nadler’s leadership and promised to consult the New Yorker who is 12 years his senior, but called for a newer generation of Democratic leaders.

“I take this step with respect and boundless admiration for my friend Jerry Nadler and his remarkable half-century of service in public office in New York and Congress,” Raskin said. “If I’m lucky enough to be chosen for this responsibility in the 119th Congress, I will turn to Jerry first and throughout for his always wise counsel and political judgment. 

“New generations of Democratic leaders in the House will look to him — just as we look every day to our great leaders Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer and Jim Clyburn — as we take the fight to Jim Jordan and an emboldened MAGA movement,” he added.

The committee is one of the most prominent House panels, and is expected to play a sizable role in President-elect Donald Trump’s second administration. The committee has jurisdiction over federal courts and law enforcement, among others.

If elected as ranking member of the House Judiciary, Raskin’s vacancy would open elections on the House Oversight committee. Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez of New York, who is the vice ranking member of the committee, and Gerry Connolly of Virginia, who lost to Raskin in 2022, could compete for that spot.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.