Dingell seeks U.S. House Democratic leadership post 

Although it’s not clear which party will control the House next term after Tuesday’s election, U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) is vying for the Democratic Caucus vice chair position. 

“I am running because our Caucus needs a unifying voice at the leadership table who speaks for the working families who feel left behind, a leader who will fight for all of our colleagues and a worker who delivers results,” Dingell wrote in a Wednesday letter to her Democratic colleagues. 

She was not available for comment earlier this afternoon. 

Dingell was first elected in 2014 and is the widow of longtime U.S. member John Dingell Jr. She was elected to a fifth two-year term on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. 

Prior to serving in the U.S. House, Dingell was a Democratic National committee member, a member of the Wayne State Board of Governors and a lobbyist for General Motors Corp. She serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Natural Resources, in addition to being a senior whip. 

“Our path forward,” she wrote in the communication “requires a message that shows we not only hear the struggles of working families, but that we also understand and are ready to take action to address them.”   

Democrats currently control the U.S. House. Several key races in Tuesday’s election have not been called. In Michigan, the delegation will be split 7-6 in favor of Democrats next term.

Democrats ended up winning three out of the four hotly contested congressional seats in Michigan with U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Lansing), U.S. Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Flint) and attorney Hillary Scholten notching victories. 

Republican John James won the fourth competitive House seat after twice trying to win a U.S. Senate slot.