Congress

Raúl Grijalva Is Running to Lead Natural Resources Again. Democrats Say He’s Not Up to the Job.

“Even his staff, if they have to talk to him, they have to go through his wife’s cell phone,” one Democratic lawmaker told NOTUS. “It’s like a Woodrow Wilson situation.”

Raul Grijalva
House Natural Resources Committee ranking Democrat Raul Grijalva at the Capitol. J. Scott Applewhite/AP
fellow2024_mark_alfred_500px.png aji_fellow2024_samuellarreal.png Matt Fuller, NOTUS Capitol Hill Bureau Chief
Mark Alfred,  Samuel Larreal and  Matt Fuller
November 01, 2024 05:00 AM | Updated: November 01, 2024 05:00 AM

Three weeks ago, Rep. Raúl Grijalva wrote a letter to Democrats on the Natural Resources Committee saying he fully intends on leading the panel again next Congress. The problem is, Democrats on the committee aren’t so sure he should.

Grijalva was diagnosed with lung cancer in February, and some Democrats on the Natural Resources Committee told NOTUS they’ve barely seen the top Democrat on the panel this year.

“Ever since he got sick, I have not really had much interaction at all,” one Democrat on the committee said. “I hope that he’s speaking with the staff.”