--- title: Nancy Pelosi Chooses Rep. Ben Ray Lujan to Head DCCC description: Rep. Ben Ray Luján, 42, would be first Latino to head the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee canonical: https://time.com/3590595/nancy-pelosi-ben-ray-lujan/ author: Maya Rhodan article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-11-18T00:04:21.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-21T11:29:50.730Z article:section: Politics og:title: Nancy Pelosi Chooses Rep. Ben Ray Lujan to Head DCCC og:description: Rep. Ben Ray Luján, 42, would be first Latino to head the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee og:url: https://time.com/3590595/nancy-pelosi-ben-ray-lujan/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Nancy Pelosi Chooses Rep. Ben Ray Lujan to Head DCCC twitter:description: Rep. Ben Ray Luján, 42, would be first Latino to head the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Nancy Pelosi Backs New Mexico Rep. For DCCC Chairman Role > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME D.C. Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition D.C. Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington. D.C. Brief goes beyond the Washington headlines to explain the politics, personalities and power dynamics shaping what happens next. 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Brief is TIME's free Washington politics newsletter, available at time.com/newsletters. It is written by a TIME senior correspondent who covers the capital full time. #### Who writes TIME's D.C. Brief? Philip Elliott, a senior correspondent at TIME, writes D.C. Brief. #### Is D.C. Brief free? Yes. D.C. Brief is free at time.com/newsletters. by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Nov 18, 2014 12:04 AM UTC by [Maya Rhodan](https://time.com/author/maya-rhodan/) ## Maya Rhodan Nov 18, 2014 12:04 AM UTC Nancy Pelosi [said](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/11/17/ben-ray-lujan-chosen-as-next-dccc-chairman/) Monday she wants Rep. Ben Ray Luján to be the next chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). The House Minority Leader called the New Mexico Democrat a “dynamic and forward-thinking leader” who would be ideal for the role of recruiting and supporting candidates going into the 2016 election. If voted in on Tuesday, Luján will be the first Latino to serve as the head of the DCCC. He currently serves as the first vice-chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Appointing a Latino leader to the prominent role could be seen as a boon for Democrats hoping to attract more Hispanic voters to head to the polls in two years. Luján said Monday that Americans can set their expectations high going into the next election cycle. “I think we’re going to see a lot more Democrats elected in 2016,” he said. The news of Pelosi’s support for Lujan ahead of Tuesday’s vote the position comes in the wake of mounting pressure from progressives to reject Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, who was also in the running for the top spot at the DCCC. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee blasted Himes as a “Wall Street Democrat” who would “hurt Democratic chances in 2016.” Pelosi also threw her support Monday behind DCCC chairman Rep. Steve Israel, who has been eyed to head up policy and communications, and Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Donna Edwards (D-Md.), both tapped to co-chair the steering and policy committee. Pelosi is expected to easily assume her role as House Minority Leader following tomorrow’s morning vote. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3590595/nancy-pelosi-ben-ray-lujan/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3590595/nancy-pelosi-ben-ray-lujan/"},"headline":"Nancy Pelosi Backs New Mexico Rep. For DCCC Chairman Role","datePublished":"2014-11-18T00:04:21.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-21T11:29:50.730Z","description":"Rep. 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