Two California congressmen are vying to replace outgoing DCCC chair after Maloney's historic midterm loss

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Two California congressmen are vying to lead House Democrats’ campaign arm, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), as the party sets its sights on regaining a majority in the House next election cycle. 

The position is up for grabs after the longtime Democratic congressman and current DCCC chair, Sean Patrick Maloney, was ousted by a Republican challenger on an otherwise better-than-expected election night for Democrats, who were anticipating double-digit losses in the House. 

The next elected DCCC chair, set to be voted on Wednesday, Nov. 30, will be charged with leading the Democratic Party’s efforts to regain a House majority in 2024 when all 435 House seats will be up for re-election once again. 

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One of the California congressman seeking the post is Rep. Tony Cárdenas, who announced his bid in a letter the Friday following Election Day.

Rep. Tony Cárdenas faced allegations of sexual assault in 2018 during the height of the Me Too movement, though the lawsuit was dropped with prejudice. (Paul Morigi)

Cárdenas has support from the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC), previously chairing the CHC’s campaign arm and raising over $35 million, according to Cárdenas' letter. 

The California congressman found himself in some hot water in the past. He was embroiled in a 2018 lawsuit in which a young woman claimed Cárdenas molested her when she was 16 in a 2007 incident, though the lawsuit was dropped with prejudice and no money was exchanged, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times. Cárdenas has vehemently denied these allegations. 

The other California congressman vying to replace Maloney is Rep. Ami Bera, who announced his intentions in a letter to Democratic House colleagues shortly after Election Day, touting his experience at defending battleground districts. 

Rep. Ami Bera is competing against Rep. Tony Cárdenas to lead the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg)

Bera has chaired the DCCC’s "Frontline Program," which supports Democrats’ most vulnerable candidates and flipped his historically purple district with his election to office. 

"I oversaw the efforts to protect 39 of our most vulnerable House candidates. In 2022, we won 35 of these seats, helping prevent a ‘red wave’ and putting Democrats in a strong position heading into 2024," Bera told Fox News Digital.

Bera has also faced past controversy. In 2016, Bera's father was sentenced to prison for funneling money into his son's campaign – though Bera denied any knowledge of the money-laundering scheme, according to a report from the Los Angeles Times.

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Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney was unseated in a historic loss to GOP opponent Mike Lawler.  (Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images)

Retiring DCCC Chair Maloney, who has served New York's 18th Congressional District since 2013, was defeated by his GOP challenger, State Assemblyman Mike Lawler, in a historic loss on Election Day.

Maloney came under fire leading up to the midterms for suggesting families struggling with the impacts of inflation eat Chef Boyardee, while also traveling to high-end European cities over the summer to fundraise for House Democrats.

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Rep. Cárdenas did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.