House Democrats in Open Revolt Against Several Long-standing Committee

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House Democrats are staging a mutiny against several long-sitting committee committee members. And the party leader in the House, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), is allowing it to happen.

Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, 76, announced that he would step down from the ranking minority leader spot on the Natural Resources Committee. Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, 77, decided not to contest a challenge from Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland to the top Democratic spot on the Judiciary Committee. And Rep. David Scott of Georgia, 79, appears on the way out of the top Democratic spot on the Agriculture Committee due to numerous, younger challengers.

All of the challengers are farther left and more radical than the old guard they’re replacing. What they’re promising is a change in “narrative” and doubling down on progressive issues that the American voter soundly and roundly rejected a month ago.

They believe that simply rephrasing their radical ideas, putting them into soothing language, and framing them attractively will bring them back to power. Don’t laugh. Barack Obama did exactly the same thing and won two terms as president. Of course, the down-ballot Democrats were destroyed through the eight years of Obama’s reign. But it can be done, and Democrats will try once again.

That Jeffries is in standby mode is significant. Democrats are known to give deference to seniority at all times, and choosing committee chairs outside the seniority track signals big changes are coming.

“The caucus will guide these kinds of discussions,” said the third-ranking House Democrat, Rep. Pete Aguilar of California. “We’re confident that at this time it’s going to take a Democratic Caucus that’s firing on all cylinders to push back against extremism and to make sure we can carry forward the bipartisan principles that we’ve talked about.”

“The caucus wants to make sure the right folks are leading these committees,” he added.

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The difference between Jeffries’s free-wheeling leadership style and Nancy Pelsosi’s iron grip on the party has not gone unnoticed.

Politico:

Leaders have apparently been working the issue behind the scenes. Members of Jeffries’ extended leadership team held private conversations to hear out the lawmakers who launched bids against ranking members, four people familiar with the conversations said. And 52-year-old Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota launched her own bid for the top Democratic spot on the Agriculture Committee after leadership didn’t wave her off, one person familiar with the conversation said.

A former member of Pelosi’s leadership team, Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, said he preferred the deference to seniority but didn’t believe that should be the only measure.

“I’m for seniority. But if seniority is all you consider, then seniority becomes something that won’t work well over the long run. So I think the burden of proof is on the person who’s saying that the senior person ought not to have it,” Hoyer said.

It’s not exactly rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic but it seems to me that Democrats are missing the point. Bringing in “fresh blood” is all well and good but if they’re pushing the same putrid ideas that were rejected by the voters, I fail to see the point of change when it’s done to replace an old radical with an even more radical younger member.

Democrats will make a big to-do about the turnover of ranking committee members but, since they’re still in the minority, the impact on policy will be minimal.