The American Spectator

p> RAHM SERVICE br> Late Monday, Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) removed his name from consideration to replace Rep. Bob Matsui as chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. His decision to pull out after being wooed by some members of Democratic House leadership appeared to coincide with the emergence of Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), a former senior adviser to Pres. Bill Clinton , as the favorite for the post. /p>

Emanuel, according to House Democratic sources, has already begun calling colleagues and marshaling support. “He’s the natural replacement for Matsui,” says a moderate Democratic House member. “He’s done the work. He knows Washington, and his Clinton years have given him access to national fundraising resources.”

Even before the passing of Matsui, Democratic leaders, including Minority leader Nancy Pelosi, were pressing Emanuel to consider taking the reins of the DCCC, after he served as a vice-chairman of the committee during the last election cycle. He apparently has wavered, hoping instead that he could somehow land a seat on the Ways and Means Committee. As it happens, Matsui served on that committee, meaning with his death a seat on Ways and Means has now opened up. Some believe that Emanuel is seeking to cut a deal that would get him Matsui’s seat in return for taking on the challenge of raising money for Democrats and recruiting candidates.

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