WASHINGTON _ The Democratic House Caucus voted Thursday to fully elect leaders to its campaign and communications arms as they eye taking back control of the chamber in 2018.
Democrats voted to elect the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and three co-chairs of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee, positions whose members had been chosen by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi then later ratified by the full caucus.
Pelosi had nominated current DCCC Chairman Rep. Ben Ray Lujan to keep his post again, despite stunning loses on Election Day that resulted in far fewer seats being picked up than projected in the House and losing the White House.
She also nominated three members to co-chair the DPCC: Reps. Cheri Bustos, Hakeem Jeffries and Matt Cartwright.
Lujan ignored questions about whether he would run to keep his post. He called the changes adopted positive.
"It's a good decision to empower the caucus to have them elect their leaders," he said.
Pelosi told colleagues in a letter sent Wednesday that she supported those positions being fully elected.
Pelosi is responding to pressure mounted by rank-and-file members who feel stifled by the lack of leadership opportunities in the House.
Rep. Seth Moulton, who openly supported Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan in his bid to knock Pelosi from her leadership post, also welcomed the new rules.
"These changes today would not have happened if we had not made that push," Moulton said of supporting Ryan.
The caucus also voted in favor of allowing a freshman member to sit in on regular leadership meetings in addition to what they defined as a "young member" who has served in the House for five terms or less.
The caucus did not address whether the DPCC co-chair slots would be reserved for members who have served for five terms or less, as Pelosi had mentioned in a dear colleague letter over the Thanksgiving break.
Members also said the decision over instituting vice ranking members was postponed. The timing of choosing leaders of the DCCC and DPCC is unknown.
The decision over having vice chairs of the DCCC was also postponed, incoming Democratic caucus Chairman Joe Crowley said, noting, "You have to establish the regions first."
