Katherine M. Clark (D-Mass.) said on Friday that she will seek for the second position in the Democratic caucus, one day after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and her top two lieutenants announced they will resign as the top House Democrats.
After having the same three members at the top — Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) and Majority Whip James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.) — for 16 years, Clark’s shift is part of Democrats’ ambition to quickly install a new set of leaders.
In the race for the number two spot, which Hoyer has held since 2003 and has been held by the leader for 36 years, Clark is challenging Hoyer. Clark now has the opportunity because Hoyer declared on Thursday afternoon that he will not run for a leadership position in the upcoming Congress.
Clark Announced Her Candidacy In A Letter To Her Coworkers On Friday Morning
She claimed that by winning the House with a “historically close margin” that Democrats had “defied expectations” in the letter that was made available to The Washington Post. To defeat the Republican House Majority’s destructive plan and retake the House, she stated, “Now we must be aggressive, agile, and united.”
After Pelosi, Clark would be the second woman in history to hold one of the top two seats in the House of Representatives.
After Serving As The Leading House Democrat For 20 years, Pelosi Is Standing Down
On Friday, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) is anticipated to formally declare his candidacy for Democratic leader, while Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA) is anticipated to declare his candidacy for the third leadership position.
In anticipation of taking the helm, Jeffries, Clark, and Aguilar have established themselves among their peers as the future of Democratic leadership.
For rank-and-file party members, the changing of the guard is bittersweet because they are both happy and anxious about losing iconic figures from the party’s modern history who were skilled at counting votes, raising enormous sums of money, and negotiating with their own members, the Senate, and the president.
Clark, 59, is standing for the role of whip, which is in charge of tallying and compiling support or opposition for important votes. Maintaining party unity in the face of a tenuous House Republican majority intent on looking into the Biden administration and obstructing the president’s objectives is much simpler when you are in the minority.
FAQ’s About Katherine Clark
1. Who is Katherine Clark?
A. She is an American politician and assistant House Democratic leader.
2. What is her nationality?
A. United States
3. What is the profession of Katherine Clark?
A. Politician
4. What is her age?
A. 59 years old
5. What is her party name?
A. Democratic Party
6. What is her spouse name?
A. Rodney S. Dowell
