据知情人士透露，来自伊利诺伊州的民主党众议员肖恩·卡斯滕（Sean Casten）在最近几周悄悄寻求民主党同僚的支持，准备竞选众议院金融服务委员会的最高职位。
Rep. Sean Casten, D-Ill., has quietly asked Democrats in recent weeks to support him in a potential bid for the top position on the House Financial Services Committee, according to people familiar with the outreach.
如果他参选，自2013年以来一直担任该委员会民主党领袖的加利福尼亚州民主党众议员玛克辛·沃特斯（Maxine Waters）可能会认为这是一个变卦。据《政治报》（Politico）报道，现年54岁的卡斯滕曾私下对88岁的沃特斯表示他没有参选计划，此前《重拳新闻》（Punchbowl News）曾报道他对该职位感兴趣。
If he runs, Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the committee since 2013, could see it as an about-face. Casten, 54, privately told Waters, 88, he was not planning on running, Politico reported, after Punchbowl News earlier reported he was interested in the position.
国会黑人核心会议（Congressional Black Caucus）对针对其担任委员会领导人的成员（如沃特斯）的挑战前景一直很敏感。卡斯滕曾是一名能源企业家，现任该委员会的副首席民主党成员。他在2018年民主党浪潮选举后进入国会。卡斯滕办公室拒绝置评。沃特斯办公室未回应置评请求。
The Congressional Black Caucus has been sensitive to the prospect of challenges to its members, like Waters, who serve as committee leaders. Casten, a former energy entrepreneur, is the vice ranking member of the committee. He joined Congress after the Democratic wave election in 2018. Casten’s office declined to comment. Waters’ office did not respond to a request for comment.
沃特斯是国会众多资深议员之一，民主党同僚私下抱怨他们拖欠民主党国会竞选委员会（Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee）的党费。据Semafor看到的8月份数据，在本竞选周期中，沃特斯仅缴纳了15%的党费，即10万美元。卡斯滕则缴纳了100%的党费，即33万美元。
Waters is one of a number of senior members of Congress that fellow Democrats are grumbling about in private for being delinquent on their dues to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Waters paid just 15% of her dues this campaign cycle, or $100,000, according to August figures viewed by Semafor. Casten paid 100% of his dues, or $330,000.
民主党人还在权衡可能导致委员会大洗牌的规则修改。一些提案涉及明确“表现良好”的成员的含义，这可能会对担任顶级委员会或领导职务施加条件，例如全额缴纳党费或与党团一起参与程序性投票。
Democrats are also weighing potential rules changes that could lead to committee shakeups. Some of the proposals have involved clarifying what it means to be a member “in good standing,” which could impose conditions to serve on top committees or in leadership like paying dues in full or taking procedural votes with the caucus.
卡斯滕可能对沃特斯发起的竞选将成为众议院民主党人代际动荡的最新爆发点。乔·拜登决定不竞选连任，引发了党团内部对年龄和资历的反思，在上一届国会结束时，年轻的民主党人开始向更资深的委员会领导人发起挑战。
Casten’s likely bid against Waters would mark the latest flashpoint in House Democrats’ generational upheaval. Joe Biden’s decision not to run for re-election prompted a reckoning in the caucus over age and seniority, with younger Democrats challenging more senior committee leaders at the end of the last Congress.
随着新年的临近，众议院民主党人将面临多场激烈的领导职位选举。如果他们能够掌控众议院的领导权，那么副议长职位以及其他党内职务也将成为选举的焦点。康涅狄格州的民主党众议员贾哈娜·海斯（Jahana Hayes）正在挑战弗吉尼亚州的民主党众议员博比·斯科特（Bobby Scott），争夺教育与劳动力委员会主席的职位；俄勒冈州的民主党众议员苏珊娜·博纳米奇（Suzanne Bonamici）也考虑参选。
Heading into next year, House Democrats face a number of competitive leadership elections. If they flip the House, they’ll have races for the vice chair position and other downballot caucus positions. And Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Conn., is challenging Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va., for the top Education and Workforce Committee position, with Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., also weighing a bid. When it comes to Casten, not everyone is thrilled.
然而，并非所有人都对卡斯滕（Casten）的参选表示支持。一位前众议院民主党工作人员称他的参选行为“极其不严肃”：“尽管有许多议员对沃特斯（Waters）的委员会管理方式感到不满，但没有人认为他的参选是个好主意。”
One former House Democratic staffer dismissed his bid as “deeply unserious.”“Despite a long list of members with grievances over how Waters runs the committee, none will say his challenge is a good idea,” the person said.