What do you do now that Democrats have strengthen their hold on the state House, marginalizing Republicans to a degree not seen in years and boosting your claim as one of the most successful political players in the state?

Well, there's always infighting.

At the Slog, Josh Feit says House Speaker Frank Chopp wants to dilute the power of House Appropriations Chairwoman Helen Sommers. Sommers is the most veteran member of the House and clearly not a Chopp favorite. The two Seattle Democrats often disagree on spending, with Sommers resisting Chopp's attempts to assert his power on her committee.

Feit says Chopp wants to create three subcommittees at Appropriations with authority for education, general government and human services, "watering down Sommers' famous hold on state spending."

I just spoke with Chopp. He says the subcommittees are just one of many ideas the House Democratic Caucus is considering. He says there are two pages of proposals. He wouldn't say whose idea it was to restructure Sommers' committee.

"I don't really want to go into details. These are confidential discussions we had in caucus and a lot of ideas were suggested by a lot of people."

As to the suggestion that the subcommittees would take power away from Sommers, Chopp said, "That was not the intent at all. We're trying to figure out the best way we can organize to get the job done."

I think Feit underplays the tensions between Chopp and Sommers when he says:

The two have sparred over transportation issues in the past and there's probably some bad blood over Chopp's indifference when Sommers faced an intraparty challenge from progressive candidate Alice Woldt (a friend of Chopp's) in 2004.

I'd say there is plenty of bad blood from that and other clashes.

Chopp does face a problem with his newly fattened majority. What do you do with all those Democrats? Creating a few subcommittees or naming some co-chairs could help.

There are six House Democrats who want to be Transportation chairman. At least some of those who don't get that job could be mollified with an Appropriations subcommittee appointment.

But with 62 members in his caucus, Chopp also faces a challenge to keep infighting to a minimum. An early threat to Sommers' power isn't likely to help that effort.

The decision will be made by a 15-member Committee on Committees.