There's less than a week to go in the intensifying battle between Democratic Representatives John Dingell of Michigan and Henry Waxman of California over who will chair the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee, with the winner likely to shape tailpipe-emissions and fuel-economy legislation for years to come.

Dingell has fought virtually every regulation the automakers have opposed, from seatbelts and airbags to tailpipe emissions and fuel-efficiency standards. By contrast, Waxman has been as strong advocate of fuel-economy standards and legislation curbing automotive greenhouse-gas emissions.

Both sides are building up support in a dispute that also promises to have significant implications for energy legislation, but it's far from clear who has the inside track on winning the gavel.

To date, only a handful of House Democrats have publicly taken sides between the two lawmakers. More than 30 members have spoken up for Dingell, but Jodi Seth, a Dingell spokeswoman, insisted that many others are also on his side. She wouldn't give numbers.

Six members of the Congressional Black Caucus — Bobby Rush and Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois, John Lewis of Georgia, Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas, Ed Towns of New York and Kendrick Meek of Florida — sent out their own Dear Colleague letter yesterday urging party unity in support of Dingell.

"By overwhelmingly electing President Obama and a Democratic majority in Congress, Americans have placed their trust in the Democratic party," they wrote. "At this time, we should be coming together to address their concerns."

Another Dingell supporter, Representative Artur Davis (D-Alabama), released a statement saying the Michigan congressman "realizes that the challenges of climate change are real and demand a pragmatic approach that is not rooted in ideology."

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