Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) is ceding his position as top Democrat on the powerful Judiciary Committee amid a tough challenge from Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), — a stunning shift on a powerful committee that’s sure to play a considerable role in the oversight of the second Trump administration.
In a letter to colleagues, Nadler said he’s endorsing Raskin for the spot.
The move marks a stunning fall for Nadler, a fiery Manhattan liberal and 34 year veteran of Congress, who rose to the top of the Judiciary panel in 2017 and helped to guide the two impeachments of President Trump. As senior Democrat on the committee, he had the edge among those in the party who want to stick with their traditional system that rewards experience and longevity at the top of committees.
But after a disappointing election performance last month — one complicated by an aging President Biden and his late decision not to seek reelection — more and more Democrats are clamoring for a generational change in the party brass. That trend took off last year with the ascension of Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) to party leader, and is now extending more broadly to committee posts, which have historically hinged on seniority.
Raskin, a generation younger than Nadler, was among the Democrats making the case for a changing of the guard to encourage fresh strategies. And many Democrats said he had the support to topple Nadler, which likely led to the New Yorker’s abrupt decision Wednesday to step out of the race.
He told colleagues in a letter that he would be passing the torch to Raskin, describing the move as ushering in a new generation of leadership.
“I am also proud that, under my leadership, some of our caucus’s most talented rising stars have been given a platform to demonstrate their leadership and their abilities,” Nadler wrote. “That includes Jamie Raskin, who in just a few terms in Congress has already proven himself to be an exceptional leader and spokesperson for our party’s values.”
“As our country faces the return of Donald Trump, and the renewed threats to our democracy and our way of life that he represents, I am very confident that Jamie would ably lead the Judiciary Committee as we confront this growing danger,” he added.
Nadler’s decision puts Raskin on a glidepath to winning the ranking member slot on the Judiciary Committee, which will make him one of Trump’s top antagonists on Capitol Hill going toe-to-toe with Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the chairman of the panel. The committee has jurisdiction over federal courts and law enforcement agencies like the FBI, areas where Democrats are concerned Trump will abuse his powers to target political opponents.
The panel also has broad jurisdiction over immigration, which is sure to be front-and-center next year when Trump is vowing an aggressive deportation strategy targeting the estimated 12 million people living in the country illegally.
The New York Times first reported on Nadler’s withdrawal.
Nadler’s announcement came as it became clear that he faced an uphill battle to retain his post. Raskin secured a public endorsement from Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), a member of the Judiciary Committee, and several Democrats who spoke to The Hill saw the Maryland Democrat as the front-runner.
“I’m assuming Jamie’s going to win,” one Democrat on the Judiciary Committee said Tuesday night. “He’s got a lot of star power. I think he’s done an excellent job on Oversight.”
But Nadler had vowed to remain in the fight, telling The Hill he would plow ahead with his bid. When asked if he was confident in his chances of winning, he responded: “I think we’re gonna be okay.”
Raskin’s imminent elevation to the top Democratic spot on the Judiciary Committee opens up a vacancy atop the Oversight and Accountability Committee, another key panel that will likely draw attention in the Trump administration. Raskin is currently the ranking member of that committee.
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who lost to Raskin for the top Democratic Oversight spot in 2022, is vying for the job again this year. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is also eyeing a run.
Updated at 4:14 p.m.