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11/17/2016 07:58 AM EDT


By Heather Caygle (hcaygle@politico.com or @heatherscope)

CROWLEY BEING PUSHED TO CHALLENGE PELOSI- Current Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman Joe Crowley is being urged by a small group of lawmakers to try and take on a much bigger role-minority leader. To do so, of course, Crowley would have to go head-to-head with current Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who's already said she's running for the top post again.

BUT: Crowley hasn't made a decision to do so, according to several sources, and his office isn't commenting. It's unlikely Crowley would be able to beat Pelosi but even taking her on would be a blow to the current leader, who has faced an uprising in the ranks since their poor showing on Election Day.

"A lot of people have been talking to [Crowley] and he's definitely thinking about it," said one Democratic aide, speaking on the condition of anonymity. "It's something he's considering." Crowley right now is running for Democratic Caucus chairman, the number four spot on the leadership ladder. More from Bres, me and Anna: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1d7a4ec1c4f6bea6b449e811490ce1b624b7121d75ba2b8577

Pelosi makes it official- Pelosi sent a letter to colleagues Wednesday officially announcing she's running for reelection and letting them know she's already got two-thirds of the caucus backing her. But several Democratic members mulling about the Speaker's Lobby Wednesday night questioned whether she actually had that much support. "I haven't seen her list [of supporters]," said Rep. Seth Moulton, who helped lead the charge to have the leadership elections delayed. But he said "an awful lot of people are coming to me and saying, 'I want other options.'" More from Kyle: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1df26ac49b64c94764caddab2f9fc938df2b6fc6dafd536f8c

A source close to Pelosi responded to the criticisms: "Nancy Pelosi is unquestionably the best vote counter in the House, many say the best whip in modern times. Historically, those who have underestimated her have done so at their peril," the source told Huddle.

So what's next? Democrats will caucus this morning at 9 a.m. After that, Pelosi is scheduled to meet with the more than two-dozen incoming House freshmen to talk about committee assignments (she first met with the freshmen Tuesday). Later in the day, she's supposed to meet with a small group of junior members led by Reps. Derek Kilmer and Joe Kennedy who are pushing some changes -i.e. loosening the concentration of power-that could put a good chunk of the caucus at ease.

Good read: "How some of Nancy Pelosi's strongest allies turned into leading antagonists," by the Washington Post's Paul Kane: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1d21606edfdf422cff6934f58e1a8111f70e36e6ddf580ea2d

MR. PENCE GOES TO WASHINGTON- Vice President-elect Mike Pence, who's leading President-elect Donald Trump's transition team, has a busy day on the Hill. He's scheduled to huddle with House Republicans during their 9 a.m. conference meeting and meet privately with House Speaker Paul Ryan after. He'll also be meeting with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, incoming-Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Burgess and Rachael: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1dee890088e1006584fd94b62d0288484288531208ed98c1ca

DEMOCRATS DAUNTING ROAD AHEAD- Senate Democrats have settled their leadership issues (more on that below), but are already facing a daunting road ahead: the 2018 Senate map. Burgess explains: Democrats "are grappling with how to defend 10 senators up for reelection in 2018 in states that Donald Trump carried, some resoundingly."

"Republicans are targeting a quintet of senators from conservative states where Trump walloped Hillary Clinton: Montana, Missouri, Indiana, North Dakota and West Virginia. The GOP could amass a filibuster-proof majority by running the table in those states and other battlegrounds. ...'Those Trump voters are the same people who elected me to the Senate. You can say they're different people, but they're not different people,' said Sen. Heidi Heitkamp." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1da1ed7d5029e0ed73ff32c24945e7c1077f4079fe891b6e69

Senate Democrats' strategy: "On infrastructure spending, child tax credits, paid maternity leave and dismantling trade agreements, Democrats are looking for ways they can work with Mr. Trump and force Republican leaders to choose between their new president and their small-government, free-market principles," reports Jennifer Steinhauer for the New York Times. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1d0a4fef0b799040bae7a23592981df3e5883354713adf407d

THANKFUL FOR THURSDAY, NOV. 17. Thanks for reading POLITICO's Huddle, the play-by-play guide to all things Capitol Hill. Having a long week? This video of a monkey riding a goat (and their unbreakable bond) will cheer you up: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1d19672f38c85f868df03498889e93d5f51f58847569e222f3

WEDNESDAY'S MOST CLICKED- Rachael's story about the role Donald Trump playing in Paul Ryan's reelection as speaker.

TODAY IN CONGRESS- The House meets at 9 a.m. with last votes of the week scheduled between 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. The Senate gavels in at 9:30 a.m. with a noon vote.

AROUND THE HILL- The Republican Study Committee holds its leadership elections starting at 10 a.m. in the CVC theater. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi hosts her weekly press conference at 10:45 a.m. in HVC Studio A.

Rep. Alan Lowenthal holds an 11 a.m. press conference on the Jose Alvarez deportation case in the House triangle. Reps. Zoe Lofgren, Luis Gutierrez and Lucille Roybal-Allard hold a press conference on Dreamers at 11:15 a.m. in HVC Studio B.

House Speaker Paul Ryan holds his weekly press conference at 11:30 a.m. in HVC Studio A. Pelosi has a photo-op following a meeting with Vice President-elect Mike Pence at 1:45 p.m. in H-204. Sen. Chuck Schumer will meet with Pence in Hart 322 at 2:15 p.m.

YOU GET A LEADERSHIP SPOT. YOU TOO- Incoming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer tried to make everyone happy Wednesday, expanding his leadership team to include both liberal Sen. Bernie Sanders and conservative Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin. "His leadership team now numbers 10 senators, a potentially unwieldy group that encompasses more than a fifth of a 48-member caucus poised to be a leading spear of opposition to President-elect Donald Trump," Burgess and Elana report.

Sen. Dick Durbin remains the party's whip and No. 2 in leadership. Sen. Patty Murray is now No. 3 in leadership with the title of assistant minority leader. But Schumer still hasn't found someone to take on Senate Democrats' campaign arm next cycle, although Sen.-elect Chris Van Hollen is a leading contender. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1dfd819c3ddb2638c000cb8147869a96636b3de7747f81fc98

WE'RE GONNA PARTY LIKE IT'S 2009- House Speaker Paul Ryan stepped in Wednesday, stopping his conference from approving a plan to bring back at least some earmarks after the idea looked like it was going to pass during a closed-door meeting. Rachael and Ben: Ryan "urged lawmakers not to decide on the matter at this time, arguing that Donald Trump had just won the presidential election on a pledge to 'drain the swamp' of Washington. Ryan said it was improper for lawmakers to reinstitute earmarks in a secret-ballot election, the sources said."

Quote du jour: "I'm a New York hack; I support earmarks," Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) said Tuesday. The full House is expected to vote on the earmark issue in the first quarter of next year. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1dda893588a3f17f0026a8a222a7ba5f35380701df899eab8a

Another Ryan read from Rachael: Ryan to keep intact "motion to vacate" tool that was used to oust House Speaker John Boehner. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1d78593aaab6f7f639cb6c9ab7e7a85e1b15a5b3271f207681

CARDIN OP-ED ON RUSSIA- "Any presidential administration's top charge is to protect U.S. national security interests, and now more than ever, that important endeavor must start with addressing a resurgent Russia," writes Senate Foreign Relations ranking member Ben Cardin in the Washington Post. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1d716877b350745ab4e072925d3d7477f5e92c59e74ad8cfe4


** Presented by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals: A story of courage -- My son, Charlie, began exhibiting abnormal behaviors as an infant. The pediatrician confirmed that my son was very sick. Upon receiving Charlie's devastating diagnosis, the doctor prescribed a medication to help him. The treatment was successful. Today, he is a healthy and happy boy. To learn more about Molli and Charlie's story visit http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1d7429adde82ec43b93b8601cb271f9e662569b6a2c955699c **


REPEAL AND REPLACE (LATER)- Congressional Republicans are confident they can move ahead in January to start the process of repealing Obamacare, with a promise to replace the sprawling healthcare law down the road. "The goal is to move aggressively, getting points on the board against President Barack Obama's health care law right away - as early as Inauguration Day itself, Jan. 20," Jennifer Haberkorn reports. "The politics could be tricky - Republicans would be scrapping a law that covers 20 million people with no concrete alternative plan laid out." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1d6c431f92a4c4fd58925904471239e376bd12a85e596ada1f

IRAN DEAL CRITICS: SLOW DOWN- With Trump coming into the White House fresh off a campaign promising to tear up the Iran nuclear deal, some of the agreement's strongest critics are now singing a different tune: Slow down. "Instead, they say, Trump should step up enforcement of the deal, look for ways to renegotiate it, and pursue measures to punish Iran for its non-nuclear misbehavior," Nahal Toosi reports.

"It's a remarkable moment for the anti-deal crowd, which includes Israel's prime minister, Saudi princes and Republican lawmakers... GOP Sen. Bob Corker, who opposed the deal as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, spoke out against immediately discarding the deal in interviews with cable channels on both Wednesday and Tuesday." More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1d02943d41ca8fcc28a9279d6a4bc0d1b2d0b770727b73dfea

DEMS: GIVE BANNON THE BOOT- House Democrats may be having a hard time with internal caucus issues but most agree on one thing: Steve Bannon shouldn't be working in the White House. An overwhelming majority of the caucus-169 lawmakers to be exact-- signed a letter urging Trump to rescind his appointment of Bannon as senior strategist, "calling the Breitbart boss a purveyor of anti-Semitism, misogyny and racism," Kyle reports. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1db3b361d29550c2f9f094f35c05fa9fdd324a4d9116c60331

WALKER RULES OUT SENATE BID- Don't expect Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker to challenge Sen. Tammy Baldwin in 2018. He's already rule it out. "Walker told the Washington Examiner that Baldwin is 'incredibly vulnerable,' but added that he won't be the one to challenge her. The governor said he would sit down with his family in the next couple of weeks to discuss a 2018 re-election bid [for governor] and make a final decision next year after passage of the state budget," reports David Drucker. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1d925733b6f3d77d53a0416b97bc7a18a83dee8969a7017150

CUMMINGS PUSHES FOR MORE INFO ON KUSHNER- House Oversight Ranking Member Elijah Cummings wants to know just what role-current and future-President-elect Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner is playing in the transition effort. In a letter to V.P.-elect Mike Pence, Cummings "specifically questioned whether Kushner will be participating in the daily defense, intelligence and national security updates. Cummings also noted that Trump's son-in-law is legally barred from joining the new administration in an official capacity because of anti-nepotism laws." More from Darren Samuelsohn: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1d658bc5d06677c907f5ab3c6c5d824485e006f02d29b859bd

Related: Kushner likely to get top White House post, reports the Wall Street Journal: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1dcb25b62877b4de674c30cde73d0e366c49444cf14bcf42ee

TRUMP TRANSITION- House Budget Chairman Tom Price was spotted at Trump Tower in New York Wednesday. He's currently under consideration to lead the Health and Human Services Department. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1dcdda567efd8b4ae14cc496398a95582a51dbb1daf13ed958 Current House Veterans' Affairs Chairman Jeff Miller, who is retiring after this Congress, says he'd "very seriously" consider leading the VA Department for Trump. More: http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1d9f1d899934414f9c60b4fdce4588c3a1d1c75275eb871323

WEDNESDAY'S TRIVIA WINNER- David Fishman was the first to guess that Franklin D. Roosevelt's mother was the first to vote for her son as president.

TODAY'S TRIVIA- David with today's question: Who was the first woman to receive an electoral vote in a presidential election? When and from whom? The first person to correctly answer gets a mention in tomorrow's Huddle.

Have your own Congress or D.C.-themed trivia questions you'd like to see in Huddle? Send them my way: hcaygle@politico.com

GET HUDDLE emailed to your phone each morning.


** Presented by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals: A story of courage --

Molli's son, Charlie, began exhibiting abnormal behaviors as an infant and she worried something was wrong. The pediatrician confirmed her worst fear - that Charlie was very sick. Once diagnosed, Charlie's care passed on to a child neurologist who couldn't guarantee what his outcome in life would be.

As a mother and a nurse, Molli was concerned for her baby and wanted the doctors to do everything they could to make him better. She knew if he wasn't treated quickly it would affect his development.

Upon receiving Charlie's devastating diagnosis, the doctor prescribed a medication to help him.

Thankfully, the treatment was successful. Today, he is a healthy and happy boy with normal growth and development.

Molli is grateful for the people at pharmaceutical companies who make medicines that help children like her son Charlie. To learn more about Molli and Charlie's story visit http://go.politicoemail.com/?qs=97a5ad096a1e2c1d7429adde82ec43b93b8601cb271f9e662569b6a2c955699c **

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