Larson Moving Up
More on the jockeying for position in the House, and the fortunes of Rep. John Larson, as Rep. Chris Van Hollen decides to stay as DCCC chair.
With Van Hollen taking himself out of the race to replace Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel as Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, Pelosi avoids a fight for the number four position. The job is now virtually assured to go to Emanuel’s vice chairman, Connecticut Congressman John Larson.
Larson now has the opportunity to become one of the highest-ranked members of the House from Connecticut. Jonathan Trumbull Jr. was Speaker of the House back in the 1790s, and Rep. John Q. Tilson (R-3rd District) was Majority Leader (the #2 position) under Speaker Nicholas Longworth from 1925-1931. Larson obviously wouldn’t equal their status, but he’s certainly higher up the leadership ladder than any Connecticut representative in recent memory.