Dems won’t battle for spending panel

Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the most senior member of the Senate Democratic caucus, said Tuesday that he would not make a bid to serve as the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee next year.

Leahy, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, voiced his full support for Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland to continue serving as the top-ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee.

{mosads}“Barbara Mikulski is doing great work on the Appropriations Committee. We are a great team and as senior member of the committee I’ve told her she has my full support,” Leahy said in a statement. “Democrats have a strong team of leaders across the committees. I have told her that I support keeping her in that role in the new Congress and that I will continue to lead the Judiciary Committee on our side of the aisle.”

Leahy’s definitive statement puts to rest speculation that he would attempt to displace Mikulski, who made history by becoming the first woman to chair the Senate Appropriations panel.

Politico reported Monday evening that Leahy was “considering pulling his rank” and pushing Mikulski, the current chairwoman of the committee, aside.

Such a move promised to divide the Democratic caucus, as many of its female members would have sided with Mikulski, the dean of the Senate women, in a power struggle. 

Both Leahy and Mikulski will lose their chairman’s gavels at the start of next Congress, when Republicans take control of the Senate. They will become the ranking Democrats on the Judiciary and Appropriations committees, respectively.