Van Hollen To Repeat As DCCC Chairman, Gets Leadership Spot From Pelosi

After rumors first surfaced on Friday, Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) has formally accetped another two-year stint as chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, according to Chris Cillizza at the Washington Post.

Van Hollen will also serve as a "special assistant" to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) focusing on policy coordination between the House Democratic leadership and the incoming Obama administration, Cillizza reported.

While many Democrats had expected that Van Hollen would serve just one term at the campaign committee, especially since he told reporters on Wednesday that the " one option I am not exploring is continuing as the chairman of the DCCC," Van Hollen's decision clears the way for Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) to become Democratic Caucus chairman, replacing Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.), who is set to become President-elect Obama's chief of staff.

With Van Hollen staying at the DCCC, that avoids a messy leadership fight for Pelosi, although there is still a battle between Reps. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.) and Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) to replace Crowley as Caucus vice chair.