Congress
Lisa McClain letter
Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut officially launched her bid to chair the House Appropriations Committee for the second time after Democrats clinched control of the House in Tuesday’s midterm election.
DeLauro, who is 83 and has served in the House since 1991, is currently the panel’s top Democrat and is expected to easily win the gavel for the 120th Congress.
“If re-elected as chair, I intend to use the gavel to further increase domestic investments in health care, education, job training, housing, transportation, energy, protecting the environment, economic development, consumer protection, and cutting-edge research all of which will help bring down costs and ease the strain on working families,” she wrote in a letter Wednesday to Democratic colleagues.
She touted her record as chair in 2021 and 2022, when she restored lawmakers’ ability to secure earmarks, or “Community Project Funding,” for projects in their districts and states. DeLauro also announced plans this time around to “claw back billions of dollars Republicans unilaterally provided to Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Pentagon through budget reconciliation in an end run outside of the Appropriations Committee.”
Democrats will be running up against a Republican White House the next two years, where President Donald Trump could threaten to veto legislation he doesn’t like. They also won’t have a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate to advance legislation along party lines.
But DeLauro and her counterpart, top Senate Appropriations Democrat Patty Murray of Washington, have been leading the charge against the Trump administration’s attempts to exert greater executive branch control over federal spending decisions, including its withholding of funding previously approved by Congress, including through “pocket rescissions.”
DeLauro on Wednesday pledged to hold the Trump administration to account for these sorts of funding freezes, transfers and diversions that Democrats allege broke the law.
“Mark my words: if re-elected as chair, wherever and whenever this administration has violated the law with regard to the use of federal funds, I will hold them accountable,” DeLauro wrote.
Winners have been called in several remaining races as the historic blue wave continues to help Democrats make gains across the country.
In Michigan’s 4th District, Democratic state Sen. Sean McCann succeeded in his challenge to Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga. The eight-term GOP representative fought an uphill battle in the Kalamazoo-based district that he won by 12 points in 2024.
Democrat Christina Hines beat out Republican Michael Bouchard in a seat occupied by Rep. John James, the GOP gubernatorial candidate. James won the 10th District, which covers Detroit’s northern suburbs, by 6 points in 2024.
Democrat William Lawrence defeated freshman Republican Rep. Tom Barrett in Michigan’s 7th District. Barrett won the Lansing-based district, formerly held by Sen. Elissa Slotkin, by 4 points in 2024.
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a moderate Democrat known for breaking with the party on key issues, won reelection for a third term in Washington’s 3rd District. She fended off a challenge from Republican state Senate Minority Leader John Braun in a traditionally right-leaning district that went for President Donald Trump by 3 points in 2024.
In Texas’ 9th District, Democrat Leticia Gutierrez won over Republican Alex Mealer to succeed Democratic Rep. Al Green, who unsuccessfully ran for a different seat after state Republicans redrew maps last year in hopes of bolstering Republicans’ advantage there. The Houston-area district was a target of the redistricting plan, and the result was another blow to the state GOP as Democrats swept statewide races in the Lone Star State.
In California’s 13th District, Democrat Adam Gray, who won his seat by 187 votes in 2024, handily secured reelection over Republican Kevin Lincoln. The district shifted to be friendlier to Democrats following California Democrats’ redistricting push last year.
In California’s 22nd District, progressive Democrat Randy Villegas, who was among Sen. Bernie Sanders’ handful of House endorsements, ousted Republican Rep. David Valadao in another newly drawn district where 2 out of 3 voters are Hispanic.
In California’s 34th District, democratic socialist Angela Gonzales‑Torres beat her incumbent opponent, fellow Democrat Jimmy Gomez. Gomez is facing a House Ethics Committee investigation after a former congressional staffer accused him of sexual misconduct. He has denied any wrongdoing.
New York Democratic Reps. Tom Suozzi and Laura Gillen both fended off their Republican challengers in the state’s 3rd and 4th districts, respectively.
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he’s staying out of the race for House minority leader.
Sitting Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan have both announced runs following Speaker Mike Johnson’s decision to step aside, and both are close allies of Trump. The president told reporters he’s not choosing sides.
“We’ll stay out of it,” he said, then briefly mentioning Jordan. “But the speaker was fantastic. The people under him were fantastic. All good people. I guess right now you have two candidates, right?”
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