Democratic Caucus Vice Chair Linda Sánchez is first lawmaker to enter the race to replace Chairman Joe Crowley, left, who lost a primary election. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo Sánchez announces bid for Democratic Caucus chair

Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.) is running for Democratic Caucus chair, becoming the first lawmaker to officially enter the race since current chairman Joe Crowley’s surprise primary loss last month.

Sánchez, currently Democratic Caucus vice-chair, made the announcement in a letter circulated to colleagues Tuesday. Sánchez praised Crowley (D-N.Y.) in her letter, calling it an “honor” to work with him since she was elected vice-chair in 2016.


“I am encouraged by the conversations I have had with many members about continuing that work, and I am pleased to announce that I will run for House Democratic Caucus Chair for the 116th Congress,” she wrote in the letter obtained by POLITICO.

The eight-term Democrat’s entrance into the race is not unexpected. Sánchez has said since Crowley’s primary defeat in late June that she was open to the idea of running and believed she would be a good fit for the role.

But by announcing before anyone else, Sánchez is signaling to other members who have privately expressed interest in the post that the race starts now, months before the caucus meets in late November or early December to vote on its leaders.

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“If the American people instill their trust in House Democrats, we must show them that we are ready to lead on the first day,” Sánchez wrote. “However, it is clear that if we wait until next year to have these discussions it will be too late. We must prepare now.”

As the No. 5 House Democrat, Sánchez is likely best positioned out of the gate to secure the chairmanship post. She's been campaigning with Democratic candidates and fundraising in her current leadership role and has a whip operation that was in place even before Crowley’s unexpected loss.

As a former chairwoman of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and the highest-ranking Latina in Congress, she’s also likely to have the support of the 31-member group if no other CHC member enters the race. Sánchez is also close to the "Pennsylvania Corner" — a tight-knit, influential group of House Democrats from the Northeast Corridor.

Crowley praised Sánchez in a statement Tuesday afternoon but notably did not offer his endorsement.

"Linda Sánchez is a dear friend, a battle-tested member, and a fierce advocate for working families," Crowley said. "She is an extremely valuable part of the Democratic leadership team and has a bright future in our caucus."

Sánchez will likely face serious competition for the job, particularly if the caucus’ longtime leaders — Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) and Assistant Minority Leader Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) — are able to hold onto their posts for another term.

Sánchez has openly called for a leadership overhaul for months, saying it’s time for a generational change at the top of the caucus.

Pelosi, Hoyer and Clyburn are all in their late 70s and have been in their jobs for more than a decade. As a result, there has been little opportunity for younger members to advance in the caucus beyond the lower rungs of leadership.

Frustration over the static at the top has been simmering within the caucus for years. Just last week, a group of members led a push to delay leadership elections until nearly a month after the November midterms — enough time, feasibly, for someone within the caucus to mount a challenge to Pelosi.

“I do think that having the top three leadership of the same generation — I think it’s time for that generational change,” Sánchez told reporters last week, reiterating comments she first made last October.

“I want to be part of that transition because I don’t intend to stay in Congress until I’m in my 70s,” she added.

Sánchez hinted in her letter that she'll have more to say in the coming weeks about her ideas for ways to give members opportunities to move up in the caucus more quickly.

“I am glad that we have begun to have conversations about how the Caucus should function to give every member increased opportunities,” Sánchez wrote, asking her colleagues to continue to share ideas “for the future of the caucus.”

“We must have open and honest dialogue so that we can have a clear, progressive roadmap for the 116th Congress,” she added.

Rep. Barbara Lee, a fellow California Democrat who ran against Sánchez in 2016 for the vice-chair job, has already said she’s likely to run for Crowley’s spot. Lee lost to Sánchez in 2016 by two votes. Lee wouldn't comment on Sánchez's bid when asked by reporters Tuesday.

Several other up-and-coming members, including Reps. Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), have been floated as potential candidates for the caucus chair position. Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), current chairman of House Democrats' campaign arm and a fellow member of the CHC, has been mentioned by some Democrats as well.

Interest in the job is high. Rarely does a top spot open up in House Democratic leadership. Pelosi and Hoyer have held the No. 1 and No. 2 jobs for nearly 16 years. And most caucus chairmen start further down the leadership chain and spend years working their way up.

Crowley, for example tried for years to break into the leadership hierarchy before he was finally elected vice-chair in 2012. He served in that position for four years before assuming the No. 4 leadership spot in 2016 after then-chairman Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.) was term-limited out of the job.

If elected, Sánchez would be the first female House Democratic Caucus chair in history.

John Bresnahan contributed to this report.