Rep. Jim Clyburn As he announced his resignation as House Democratic leader on Wednesday, a protégé of the South Carolina Democrat hinted at his desire to succeed him.
“I have informed Leader Hakeem Jeffries of my intention to step down as Assistant Democratic Leader of the House Democratic Caucus,” Clyburn, 83, said. statement.
“I am confident that Leader Jeffries, Whip Catherine Clark, Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar and the entire leadership team will continue the important work of putting people over policy,” the statement said.
Rep. Joe Neguse, 39, considered the party’s rising star, will run for Clyburn’s leadership post, a House Democratic leadership aide told NBC News. The Neguse served as one impeachment managers During Trump’s second impeachment.
Clyburn said that although he is resigning from the leadership, he is still running for re-election to his congressional seat.
“I will be running for re-election in the 6th Congressional District,” he said, referring to the seat he first won in 1992. “The events of the past few years show that America’s greatness is at stake and the threats to our continued efforts for a ‘Greater Union’ are real.”
Clyburn, a top Biden ally, raised eyebrows at the time in late 2022 did not obey the leadership then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer to step aside and let younger members rise through the ranks.
Pelosi of California and Hoyer of Maryland are also running for re-election. Like Clyburn and President Joe Biden, they are in their 80s.
On the other side of the aisle, Rep. Mark Green announced Wednesday that he will not seek re-election to Congress. The Tennessee Republican, who chairs the House Homeland Security Committee, also said he believes it’s important for people to step aside and allow new people to enter the House.
“While reading the writings of our Framers over the past few months, I was reminded of their representatives’ intention to become citizen-legislators, serve one season and then return home,” he said. said in the statement.
There are about two dozen Republicans in the House of Representatives and about as many House Democrats choosed Not seeking re-election in November.