Rep. Melanie Stansbury is touting support from top Natural Resources panel Democrat Raúl Grijalva as she tests the waters on a long-shot bid to succeed him, according to three people familiar with the matter.
Stansbury’s office told POLITICO on Monday that she is “taking a serious look” at entering the race against Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), the presumptive favorite who appears to be in a strong position to win.
The New Mexico Democrat, who joined the House in 2021, has quietly sounded out her congressional colleagues as she weighs a bid, the three people said. In messages to colleagues, she has stated that Grijalva asked her if she’d consider running with his support after he dropped out. She’s also highlighted a lack of female leadership at the top of the panel in conversations with colleagues.
Grijalva bowed out of the race on Monday, seemingly clearing the way for Huffman, a 60-year-old Californian with a decade of experience on the committee. Huffman has projected confidence in his position, with a source close to the congressman saying he has earned commitments from 133 colleagues, including 11 new pledges in the day since Grijalva dropped out.
The leadership transition comes as Democrats weigh whether to cast aside other senior committee heads. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) launched a bid against Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) to lead Judiciary Committee Democrats. Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.), who has faced questions about his health and ability to lead the Agriculture Committee’s Democrats, is being challenged by Reps. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) and Jim Costa (D-Calif.).
But Grijalva did not take kindly to Huffman challenging him as he returned from a long absence to receive cancer treatment, telling POLITICO recently that he regretted the “pettiness of this whole thing” and adding he was confident he has done his job well in the top post.
Grijalva did not endorse or mention Huffman in his official post dropping out of the race Monday. Spokespeople for Grijalva and Stansbury did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
