Elections

Sen. Bennet accepts DSCC chairmanship

Alexis Levinson Political Reporter
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Three weeks after it was offered to him, Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet has agreed to serve as chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee for the 2014 election cycle.

The committee is responsible for helping Democrats get elected to the Senate. Sen. Patty Murray, the current chair, will leave her post to chair the Senate Budget Committee.

Bennet was first offered the post the week after the election, but has taken the past three weeks to announce a decision. He was also offered the position in 2010, but turned it down.

Bennet’s communications director did not immediately respond to questions about what had prompted his decision now.

“This will not be an easy job, but I feel strongly that families and small businesses in my state have a lot riding on our success,” Bennet said in a statement. “Coloradans, like all Americans, need a US Senate that fights for them — not the special interests. The DSCC has helped stop the rise of the Tea Party and given ordinary families more voices in Washington. I look forward to working once again with my friend Guy Cecil and I know the caucus is enormously grateful for his continued service.”

Guy Cecil, the current executive director of the DSCC and a former Bennet chief of staff, will retain his post.

Bennet will be responsible for defending a number of Democrats up for re-election in 2014, many of whom, like Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Sen. Mark Begich of Alaska, and Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas, are running in red-leaning states.

Bennet’s counterpart on the Republican side is Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas.

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