Schiff lays groundwork for run to replace Pelosi as Dem leadership shuffle looms
If House Speaker Nancy Pelosi steps down after midterms, it would trigger first open election for the top House Democrat in two decades
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rep. Adam Schiff is laying the groundwork for a run at the top House Democratic leadership spot should it be vacated by Speaker Nancy Pelosi after the midterms, as a potentially crowded scramble for the top spot is starting to take shape.
Pelosi, D-Calif., has not publicly stated that she would step down as the House Democratic leader whether Democrats keep or lose the majority next week. However, Pelosi has been in charge of the Democratic caucus for two decades, and an increasingly progressive caucus appears hungry for new blood at the top.
"The top three Democratic leaders are all quite old," R Street Institute senior fellow for governance James Wallner told Fox News Digital. "I think there's a real demand inside the Democratic Party and the Democratic Caucus there in the House… for a new generation of leadership."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Enter Schiff, age 62, who has emerged as a possible contender to replace Pelosi in a field that also could include Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and others. Schiff is laying the groundwork for a run, a House Democratic aide told Fox News Digital, though that aide said it currently appears Jeffries has more support in the caucus than Schiff.
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., is laying the groundwork for a run at House Democratic leadership. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
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It has been previously reported that Schiff, who currently serves as the House Intelligence Committee Chairman, is interested in the top Democratic spot.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Democratic leadership race likely will not come into focus until after the midterms, with top party leaders focused on the uphill battle to hold the majority in the chamber. However, Wallner said Schiff, the chief impeachment manager in former President Trump's first impeachment, could be in a position to bridge support from across of the caucus.
"I think having experience certainly helps with [moderates]," Waller said. "But the nature of that experience being an impeachment manager probably helps with the [progressives]."
As one of former President Trump's chief congressional antagonists, Schiff also chaired the House Intelligence Committee as it investigated Trump's administration throughout his presidency. He is currently a member of the Jan. 6 Committee.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has not announced whether she will step down as the top Democrat in the House of Representatives after the midterms. (Getty Images)
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Republicans, and Trump himself, regularly attack Schiff as a bad-faith partisan actor. However, in a polarized House, being a bipartisan deal maker is no longer a serious consideration in leadership elections. A key qualification will likely be a candidate's managerial skills, needing to get a diverse and sometimes internally combative Democratic caucus to push all in the same direction.
If he does run, Schiff would have to compete with several other candidates who could mount serious challenges for the top spot.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jeffries, as caucus chair, is a vocal and visible face of the party with four years of experience in his current position. He is not gaffe-prone, being 52-years old and a Black man would be a historic choice for Democrats to lead their caucus.
House Democratic Conference Chair Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., is considered one of the top contenders to replace House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., if she steps down.
Clyburn, 82, also Black, is not discussing his future plans. However, he has plenty of experience and is hitting the campaign trail for fellow Democrats like someone who is not riding off into the sunset. In recent weeks he has paid visits to Democrats in competitive races in at least Indiana, North Carolina and Ohio.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Hoyer, 83, is maintaining a whirlwind campaign schedule, visiting 66 districts in 27 states this cycle. He has also raised or contributed $14.2 million to support House Democrats in the midterms. But Hoyer also is not commenting on his future plans. Fox News' Chad Pergram pressed him on the issue in September, but Hoyer would not address his post-midterm plans.
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., has long been interested in being the top Democrat in the House of Representatives.
"They both have their own bases of support. This is something Hoyer has wanted for a very long time," Wallner said of Hoyer and Clyburn. "It's just, has the moment passed them by?"
Other potential experienced candidates to lead Democrats include Assistant Speaker Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and House Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Pete Aguilar, D-Calif. Clark is 59 and Aguilar is 43. House Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., could also have a strong constituency among the party's left flank if she chooses to run.
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"I think your fire-breathing progressive, I'm not sure who that is, but it wouldn't surprise me to have a candidate come out and make a run," Wallner said. "That impacts the race's dynamic in and of itself."
Representatives for Clark, Aguilar, Pelosi, Hoyer, Jeffries, Schiff, Jayapal and Clyburn did not provide comment for this story.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News' Kelly Phares and Chad Pergram contributed to this report.