Here are the Democrats running for leadership posts in the House
There will be at least 29 new members coming to Congress in January, giving the Democrats at minimum a net 27-seat gain as of Wednesday morning. Eight of those newcomers have publicly stated that they will not vote for Pelosi for speaker in the caucus vote: Reps.-elect Max Rose, Jason Crow, Haley Stevens, Anthony Brindisi, Abigail Spanberger, Jeff Van Drew, Joe Cunningham, and Conor Lamb, who was originally elected in a special House race in March.
A number of the other members-elect have said they won't reveal their vote until they know who the candidates are, or that they support the idea of new leadership but won't commit to voting against Pelosi.
Sometimes, members are known to vote against a candidate for speaker during the secret, closed-door ballot vote but then vote for them on the floor of the House so that they don't prevent the speaker candidate from getting the 218 votes they need to secure the speakership. In 2016, 63 Democrats voted against Pelosi for minority leader on a secret ballot.
Meanwhile, the races for other key leadership positions are falling into place. Rep. Steny Hoyer, the current minority whip, is running to become majority leader. Current Assistant Democratic Leader Jim Clyburn is running to replace Hoyer as whip.
Rep. Cedric Richmond, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus,
wrote a letter to his colleagues earlier this month for at least one of the top posts to be filled by an African-American representative in the next Congress. Clyburn is currently the highest-ranking African American in the Democratic conference. Rep. Diana DeGette has also announced her candidacy for majority whip.
At least three representatives are running for the post of Democratic Caucus chair, which is being vacated by departing Rep. Joe Crowley. Reps. Barbara Lee and Linda Sanchez of California and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York are running for the post. Jeffries in particular is considered a rising star int he Democratic Party, and some in Congress have floated his name as a potential speaker candidate before the election.
ain't even get to the new session and Dems already tripping over themselves
Reps. Cheri Bustos and Ben Ray Lujan are running for the post of assistant majority leader. Lujan is currently the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Bustos is a popular moderate who represents a district which narrowly supported President Trump in the 2016 election.
god damn it's her first day in DC...she hasn't even completed orientation yet
