Wyden Primed to Take Finance Gavel

[ProSense]

Wyden Primed to Take Finance Gavel

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., is next in line to assume the chairmanship of the Senate Finance Committee upon the reported retirement of current Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., at the end of next year.

Wyden is No. 3 in seniority on the panel, but Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., who would be in line to take over, has already announced his retirement.

Democrats hold fairly true to their succession rules, particularly given that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., is a believer in observing informal seniority rules. Wyden is currently the chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, and the powerful Finance gavel would be his to turn down.

On Tuesday, Wyden declined to comment.

- more -

http://www.rollcall.com/news/wyden_primed_to_take_finance_gavel-224260-1.html

[madokie]

1. providing the dems keep the majority that is