By Douglas Gillison
WASHINGTON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Maxine Waters, the long-serving top Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee, called on Friday for her fellow Democratic lawmakers to return her to the committee's chair as her party plans to challenge the Trump administration's economic agenda next year.
"It has never been more important to have a proven, effective and innovative leader on the Committee on Financial Services to fight back. I am that leader, and I respectfully ask for your support," Waters said in a letter Reuters is reporting for the first time.
In her letter, Waters promised to target affordable housing, "junk fees," President Donald Trump's attack on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, medical debt and credit reporting -- hot-button policy areas, many of which had underpinned the Democrats' economic message in this week's midterm elections.
Waters, 88, among the oldest lawmakers on Capitol Hill, is campaigning to fend off a challenge from fellow committee Democrat Sean Casten, 54, who on Thursday officially announced he was seeking to take the gavel.
(Reporting by Douglas Gillison in Washington; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)