Rep. Henry Waxman of California narrowly won a preliminary contest on Wednesday to replace Rep. John Dingell of Michigan as chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee.

On a secret-ballot vote of 25-22, the House Democratic Steering Committee recommended that Waxman head the energy panel in the new Congress set to convene in January.

It remained unclear, however, if the full 255-member House Democratic conference on Thursday would accept recommendation or instead decide to stick with Dingell as chairman.

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