The California Democrat, who serves as ranking member on the subcommittee on water, wildlife and fisheries, wrote he will seek to replace Rep. Raúl Grijalva (Ariz.), who has served as the top Democrat on the panel since 2019. Grijalva has announced he will retire after his 12th term, which he won this year.
In the letter to his fellow committee Democrats, Huffman emphasized the incoming Trump administration’s likely targeting of Biden-era environmental regulations and the possibility that the House GOP edge is narrow enough for the balance of power to possibly flip before 2026.
“My district experiences some of the worst impacts of the climate crisis including extreme drought, devastating wildfires, flooding, sea level rise, toxic algal blooms, and biodiversity loss,” Huffman wrote.
“But we are also known for innovative solutions and models of resilience — the nation’s first and largest floating offshore wind project, ambitious forest management projects incorporating Traditional Ecological Knowledge, nature-based solutions to protect coastal communities and sequester carbon, and more,” he added.
Huffman’s announcement sets up a potential clash with Grijalva, who returned to Capitol Hill this week for the first time since beginning treatment for cancer. The California congressman’s letter downplays any potential conflict between the two, calling on the committee’s Democrats to name Grijalva as “Ranking Member Emeritus.”
“I would look to him as a key partner in guiding the Committee through the challenges and opportunities of the next two years,” he said.
Grijalva, however, says he plans to remain at the helm of the committee.
"I know the coming years will bring unprecedented challenges and changes, but I also know how to face them. I am ready, I am energized, and I fully intend to serve as Ranking Member for the House Natural Resources Committee in the 119th Congress," he said in a written statement to The Hill.
Read more at TheHill.com.
