Millender-McDonald’s Death Leaves Chairmanship Open

The death Sunday of Democratic Rep. Juanita Millender-McDonald of California left open the chairmanship of the House Administration Committee and created the second vacancy of the current Congress.

Millender-McDonald, 68, who took over the gavel at the House Administration Committee earlier this year, died of cancer at her home in Carson, Calif. Just last week she had been granted a leave of absence until May 25 to deal with her illness.

She was the second House member to die since the 110th Congress convened in January. Charlie Norwood, R-Ga., died Feb. 13.

The last time two or more House members died in the same Congress was in 2001, when three members died. The last committee chairman to die in office was William H. Natcher, D-Ky., chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, in 1994.

Pelosi last week assigned Robert A. Brady of Pennsylvania, the No. 2 Democrat on House Administration, to serve as chairman temporarily during Millender-McDonald’s leave of absence. It was not immediately clear whether Brady would become the permanent chairman.

Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has 14 days to set a special election date in the 37th District, based in southern Los Angeles County. Candidates of all parties will run on a single ballot in the primary; if no one captures an outright majority, a runoff will be held between the top vote-getters of each party.

Source: CQ Today Midday Update

Political Clippings compiled from BNN Frontrunner and CQ Politics.com.