Jerry Nadler drops bid for House Judiciary ranking member, endorses Jamie Raskin who worked on J6 committee

77-year-old Democratic Congressman Jerry Nadler announced on Wednesday that he will no longer be pursuing the position of top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, instead endorsing Representative Jamie Raskin, a member of the since-expired January 6 Committee, for the role.

Nadler shared the news in a letter to his Democratic colleagues in the House, where he confirmed that he would be endorsing Raskin after the congressman announced just two days ago he would be challenging Nadler for the position. The Judiciary Committee is expected to play a critical oversight role over the FBI and the Department of Justice under the incoming Trump administration, NBC News reported.

“As our country faces the return of Donald Trump, and the renewed threats to our democracy and our way of life that he represents, I am very confident that Jamie would ably lead the Judiciary Committee as we confront this growing danger,” Nadler said in the letter. “Therefore, I have decided not to run for Ranking Member of the Judiciary Committee in the 119th Congress.”

Nadler, who has represented New York in Congress since 1992, has served as the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee since 2019. Although he easily won reelection in the last general election, the congressman has had health concerns over the last few years. 

“Although I will not be Ranking Member, I will still be an active member of the Committee, and I am eager to work alongside its new leadership in the battle to protect our most vulnerable communities and our most precious democratic ideals,” Nadler said.

In a post on X, Raskin responded to the news that Nadler would be stepping down and referred to him as an “extraordinary lawyer, patriot and public servant.”

“His dogged defense of civil rights and civil liberties is a great inspiration to our people. I am honored and humbled to have his support in the battles ahead,” Raskin said.