After falling short last year, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva will try to win the ranking member slot of the Natural Resources Committee for a second time, the Arizona Democrat’s office confirmed to CQ Roll Call.  

He’ll likely be facing off against a more senior member of the committee, Rep. Grace F. Napolitano, D-Calif., whose spokesman said she is “considering all options and hasn’t ruled anything out.”  

In a caucus that’s grappling with its long-standing deference to the seniority system as new members begin to outnumber the old guard, Grijalva could even end up challenging Democratic Del. Eni F.H. Faleomavaega from American Samoa, who is more senior than the two of them and agreed to stand down in a race for ranking member on the Foreign Affairs panel in 2012.