Veteran Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., 82 needs help. That's the message Dingell's staff sent to folks on K street as the lawmaker faces a serious challenge by Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., for the gavel of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. See The Washington Post story here, along with the email.

I thought it important to note this story as I had already received emails this morning from lobbyists asking if I know whether former Dingell staff, now working on K street, were helping their ex-boss hang onto his chairmanship. The Center for Responsive Politics has a list of former Dingell aides who are now working downtown. See the list here. Waxman is seen as much more skeptical of K street, so many lobbyists wouldn't mind seeing Dingell stay put.

                                                                                                   -- Bara Vaida