The state of the race to replace Maloney as DCCC chairperson
Misty Severi
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Rep. Ami Bera (D-CA) announced a bid to serve as the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, challenging Rep. Tony Cardenas (D-CA) for the position after a red wave failed to appear in the midterm elections.
Bera, whose race has not been called as of early Monday morning, served as the committee’s chairman for the front-line program and claimed his experience protecting the party’s most vulnerable members can make him a strong leader of the DCCC for 2024.
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“I am confident that my skills and experiences would make me the best choice to lead the DCCC at this pivotal moment as we seek to win in 2024 and deliver for the American people,” Bera wrote in a letter to colleagues Monday. “As a first generation Indian American, I understand the strength of our diversity. Our Caucus includes Members who represent the beautiful tapestry of America: metropolitan cities, rural counties, and suburban communities. As Chair, I would work to be a unifying bridge across districts and Members.”
Bera, who flipped a red seat in Simi Valley, California, in 2012, added that his seat and district are “very safe” for Democrats after redistricting last year.
Cardenas, who represents a Southern California district that’s safe for Democrats, announced his bid for the position on Friday.
Chairman Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) lost his reelection campaign to newcomer Michael Lawler as the GOP made notable gains in deep-blue New York.
Although Democrats lost seats in the 2022 election, the Republican victory was not as widespread as expected, and control of the House of Representatives has not been determined as of Monday morning.
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Democratic House members are not expected to select a chairperson until after the leadership elections, which could occur later this month. Some Democrats are pushing for a change in how to select the campaign chairperson, calling for the party leadership to fill the position rather than making it a caucus vote, according to Politico.