Rep. Jerrold Nadler on Wednesday bowed out of the top Democratic leadership post on the House Judiciary Committee, surrendering to a challenge for the job by Rep. Jamie Raskin.
Mr. Nadler endorsed Mr. Raskin for the job.
Mr. Nadler, a 77-year-old New Yorker who has served in Congress for 34 years, captured Judiciary’s top spot for his caucus in 2017 and led the committee through two impeachments of President Donald Trump.
Although Mr. Nadler had the support of many in his caucus, Democrats are searching for new and younger leadership after the party’s devastating election losses in November.
Mr. Raskin, who will turn 62 next week, was among House Democrats spearheading a change in committee leadership to help rebuild the party.
The Maryland Democrat said in a “dear colleague” letter announcing his run for ranking member of Judiciary that he has “respect and boundless admiration” for Mr. Nadler and that he would turn to him for counsel if he succeeded him.
When it became clear that Mr. Raskin had enough support to win, Mr. Nadler informed his colleagues in a letter Wednesday that he was stepping aside.
“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,” Mr. 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 said.
Mr. Raskin, a former constitutional law professor, served as the lead House impeachment manager for the second Senate impeachment trial in which Mr. Trump was acquitted of inciting an insurrection at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Mr. Raskin also served on the Jan. 6 select committee that investigated the planning and response to the riots.
• Lindsey McPherson contributed to this report.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
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