House Democrats have tapped New York Rep. Jerry Nadler as their next leader on the Judiciary Committee, the panel that would potentially initiate impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump if Democrats win back the House.
Nadler won a decisive victory over Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) in a caucus-wide election Wednesday morning. Lofgren, a former immigration lawyer, is the second-most senior member on the panel behind Nadler.
“This is a pivotal time, with our country possibly on the verge of a constitutional crisis,” Nadler said in a speech before the vote, according to a Democratic source in the room. “We cannot afford to make this choice based on anything but who is the best person to sit in that chair.”