Grijalva bows out of seeking top Democratic spot on Natural Resources

House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) will no longer seek to remain the top Democrat on the panel, deciding to leave the slot he has held since 2019 amid health concerns and a challenge from Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.).

“After much thought, I have decided that it is the right moment to pass the torch as top Democrat on the House Natural Resource Committee for the 119th Congress. I do not make this decision lightly, as being elected Ranking Member stands as the honor of my professional career,” Grijalva said in a statement on Monday.

“I will continue to focus on improving my health, strengthening my mobility, and serving my district in what is likely to be a time of unprecedented challenge for our community.”

Grijalva announced an unspecified cancer diagnosis in April and had an extended absence from the Capitol as he underwent treatment. He had also said that his next term, which will be his 12th, will be his last, and that he will not seek reelection in 2026.

Before Grijalva bowed out, however, Huffman in November had announced a bid to be the ranking member on the Natural Resources panel.

In a letter announcing his bid, Huffman called 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,” Huffman said in the letter.

Grijalva did not endorse Huffman as a successor in his statement.

“I am so deeply proud of the progress that my colleagues and I have achieved in protecting our nation’s rich natural and cultural heritage, advancing justice for communities overburdened by pollution, elevating Indigenous voices and honoring tribal sovereignty, fighting for the decolonization of the U.S. territories, and securing a cleaner, safer climate and energy future for all Americans,” Grijalva said in the statement.