Republican lawmakers jockeying to steer Home committees within the subsequent Congress are touting their loyalty to President-elect Donald Trump as a lot as their capacity to advance coverage priorities as they make appeals to colleagues over the subsequent two weeks.
With scores of members competing for a couple of key positions, contenders imagine that success may hinge on their capacity to point out simply how well-positioned they’re to drive Trump’s legislative agenda throughout a spread of coverage areas together with finance, vitality and schooling.
“It may be supremely vital,” Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), a high contender to switch outgoing Home Overseas Affairs Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas), stated in an interview after Trump addressed Home Republicans final week. “What he spoke to us about is how his relationship with the Home is best and stronger than the one he has with the Senate, and so he will lean on us to get his agenda by way of.”
That agenda will embody efforts to develop faculty selection, produce extra fossil fuels and advance business-friendly cryptocurrency regulation — in addition to sweeping rollbacks of Biden administration insurance policies.
The extent to which allegiance to Trump carries the day can be a key first check of his maintain on Congress, notably since a lot of the races can be determined by secret poll. Contenders will make their instances to a choose group of colleagues, often known as the steering committee, at the start of subsequent month. These members will then vote anonymously to find out the winner.
“It is actually about, ‘How are they going to get one thing completed?’” Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), who serves on the steering committee, stated in an interview. “That’s going to be a very powerful factor.”
The highest Republicans on the Home Guidelines, Vitality and Commerce, and Monetary Providers committees are all retiring when the present Congress ends in December. Different panels, together with Home Overseas Affairs, Schooling and the Workforce, and Transportation, will want new leaders due to time period limits.
Monetary Providers
Reps. Andy Barr of Kentucky, French Hill of Arkansas, Invoice Huizenga of Michigan and Frank Lucas of Oklahoma are vying to develop into the highest Republican on the committee that oversees Wall Avenue, the Federal Reserve and cryptocurrency.
Entrance-runners Barr and Hill have leaned arduous into proving their Trump bona fides. Barr has targeted his pitch on melding the get together’s populist wing with its free-market core — and has spent the times for the reason that election in shut communication with key Trump allies like Howard Lutnick and Scott Bessent. Over the subsequent few weeks, he’ll give out crimson baseball hats carrying Trump’s promise to “Make Monetary Providers Nice Once more.”
“I am working actually arduous to ensure that my imaginative and prescient is hand-in-glove with the incoming coverage agenda of the Trump administration,” Barr, an in depth ally of Trump loyalist Home Majority Chief Steve Scalise, stated in an interview.
Hill, in the meantime, has cited his capacity to coordinate with Trump on crypto — the president-elect gave him a shout out at a digital property convention over the summer time — and rolled out an agenda final week that he branded “Make Neighborhood Banking Nice Once more.” Hill’s plan, like Barr’s, contains proposals that parallel Trump’s agenda, together with a pledge to “reverse the weaponization of the federal government” by blocking regulators from encouraging banks to chop ties with sure clients.
Barr’s ties to Trump run deeper than Hill’s. He watched the Tremendous Bowl with the president-elect at Trump Worldwide Golf Membership earlier this yr and helped throw fundraisers for Trump and operating mate JD Vance in Kentucky through the marketing campaign. Earlier than Hill endorsed Trump’s presidential bid, he was one of many few Home Republicans to publicly push again towards him for encouraging lawmakers to kill a key intelligence invoice.
Whether or not any of that issues to steering committee members stays to be seen.
“Steering committee — a mixture of management and folks elected by district — tends to be the extra skilled members, and it tends to be a unique set of values,” Lucas stated in an interview. “President Trump’s opinion issues to everybody within the Republican convention, however it’s nonetheless throughout the quick panel” to resolve who will get a gavel.
— Eleanor Mueller and Jasper Goodman
Overseas Affairs
Wagner can boast a connection to the Trump household after working with Ivanka Trump — in addition to secretary of State nominee Sen. Marco Rubio — on paid depart laws. (She shouted “Sure!” as Trump talked about it throughout his 2019 State of the Union tackle.) Wagner stated in an interview that committee hopefuls “ought to” lean into their Trump ties when presenting to the steering committee .
“He has introduced quite a few our Home members throughout the end line,” Wagner stated. “There is a clear mandate there from the folks.”
Wagner additionally backed Trump’s withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal and co-chairs the Abraham Accords Caucus, named for the deal brokered underneath by the Trump administration to normalize Arab-Israeli relations. Her 2016 withdrawal of help for Trump over the Entry Hollywood tape is “water underneath the bridge” that will not have an effect on her present relationship with him, stated a Home GOP aide granted anonymity to debate a delicate matter.
One other contender, Rep. Darrell Issa of California, is thought for his aggressive method main the Home Oversight and Authorities Reform Committee. He endorsed Trump in 2016 and supported key selections, such because the firing of FBI Director James Comey. Though Issa briefly backed a particular prosecutor to research Trump’s Russia ties, he later walked again that help. He subsequently voted to reject Pennsylvania’s 2020 electoral votes, opposed Trump’s impeachment each occasions, and voted towards the creation of an impartial Jan. 6 fee.
Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina, a Ukraine Caucus co-chair, backs sustained U.S. help to Ukraine, a stance that diverges from Trump’s. Wilson has on the identical time praised Trump, saying the president-elect’s latest assembly with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy demonstrated a “peace by way of energy” method.
One other contender, Rep. Brian Mast of Florida, served because the nationwide chairman of Veterans for Trump, main assaults on Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Waltz’s claims about his navy file and defending Trump towards criticism he would not help troops. He’s additionally backed Trump amid his felony convictions and endorsed his overseas coverage method.
— Joe Gould
Transportation
Rep. Sam Graves of Missouri, the present Transportation chair, is eyeing a problem from Rep. Rick Crawford of Arkansas. Each are on the identical airplane in relation to their relationship with Trump.
Graves is making a long-shot bid for a waiver that might permit him to dodge time period limits. He needs to make his case to the steering committee on why he’s the higher selection than Crawford — the Highways and Transit Subcommittee chair who has been campaigning for the function since March.
Crawford stated he has had a great relationship with Trump for “fairly some time” and famous that he and the president-elect share priorities resembling investing in infrastructure by way of the floor transportation reauthorization invoice.
“I do not see any motive why they would not align completely, and we transfer ahead with it,” Crawford stated.
Graves has stated that if he will get the waiver, he would work seamlessly with Trump as chair on a invoice that focuses on arduous infrastructure.
“We [have] acquired an extended methods to go, however Trump’s a builder, so he will get it. And we have to do conventional infrastructure — that is pouring concrete, laying asphalt, constructing roads, constructing bridges, and he will get that,” Graves stated. “So I am certain it is going to be closely geared in the direction of that.”
If Graves would not get the waiver, anticipate Rep. David Rouzer of North Carolina — who has stated he can be desirous about operating if Graves is out — to leap within the race. Rouzer, the subcommittee chair on water assets and surroundings, didn’t touch upon any efforts to implement Trump-aligned insurance policies.
— Chris Marquette
Agriculture
Home Agriculture Chair G.T. Thompson of Pennsylvania grew nearer to Trump within the closing months of the 2024 marketing campaign, strengthening ties which are additionally cementing his probabilities to take care of his gavel subsequent yr.
Thompson helped Trump marketing campaign in his dwelling state, which was seen as a vital battleground. Their relationship is a extremely symbiotic one that allows Trump to strengthen his sturdy ties to rural America and the agriculture sector, whereas letting Thompson burnish his MAGA ties with GOP voters.
In September, Thompson joined Trump for a marketing campaign roundtable for farmers in Smithton, Pennsylvania, hosted by the Defending America Initiative, led by Richard Grenell, who was performing director of nationwide intelligence through the president-elect’s first time period, and former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin, who has been nominated to steer the Environmental Safety Company.
“We’ve all the time gained with the farmers,” Trump stated, seated subsequent to Thompson.
Republican lawmakers don’t anticipate anybody to problem Thompson for the Agriculture Committee gavel. He went by way of remedy for prostate most cancers this Congress however has recovered. Ought to Trump faucet Thompson to serve in his administration, Rep. Austin Scott of Georgia would doubtless be subsequent in line to fill the function.
— Meredith Lee Hill
Judiciary
One in every of Trump’s largest supporters has a lock on being the chair of the Judiciary Committee: Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio.
Jordan has been one in all Trump’s largest Hill supporters for years, and the 2 have an in depth relationship, together with the president-elect’s backing for the lawmaker’s failed speaker bid final yr.
Jordan conserving the gavel will give Trump a staunch ally directing a number of the largest investigations of the Home GOP majority, together with a possible investigation into particular counsel Jack Smith, who has led the federal investigations into Trump.
— Jordain Carney
Vitality and Commerce
Reps. Brett Guthrie of Kentucky and Bob Latta of Ohio are competing to chair the highly effective Vitality and Commerce Committee, which has vital sway over well being care and vitality coverage.
“I believe he’ll let issues play out,” Latta stated when requested if Trump would possibly put his finger on the size within the race.
Each candidates are seen as being pleasant with the president-elect. Although they haven’t messaged explicitly on their relationship, their pitches parallel a few of his proposals.
Latta and Guthrie have each embraced allowing reform; are open to all vitality sources, together with renewables; and need to increase home vitality manufacturing, in step with Trump’s push to make the county “vitality impartial.” Whereas Trump hasn’t been notably engaged in well being care, the 2 males have signaled openness to reforms at public well being companies just like the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention and Nationwide Institutes of Well being. Each have opposed what they see as electrical car “mandates” from the Biden administration, a significant Trump speaking level.
— Ben Leonard, with an help from David Lim
Schooling and Workforce
Rep. Tim Walberg of Michigan and Rep. Burgess Owens of Utah are in a race to steer the Home Schooling and the Workforce Committee that has their loyalty to Trump on full show.
Walberg, dean of the Michigan delegation, continuously touts his relationship with the president-elect. He has an image with Trump on Air Power One in his workplace.
Owens, who at the moment leads the panel’s subcommittee on greater schooling, says he and Trump agree that schooling is a high precedence. Displayed exterior of his workplace is a photograph of Trump together with his fist raised within the air after being shot at earlier this yr.
Trump is more likely to get key components of his schooling and workforce agendas by way of both lawmaker. His repeated backing of college selection initiatives on the marketing campaign path may get momentum underneath Walberg or Owens, each of whom need to transfer laws on the difficulty. Owens can also be a vocal critic of range, fairness and inclusion initiatives, and Walberg needs to simplify labor laws.
— Mackenzie Wilkes
Guidelines
The steering committee gained’t get a say in one of many races that might have the most important affect on the president-elect’s agenda.
The Home Guidelines Committee tees up most GOP coverage payments for the ground, making it a last-stop for Trump and his allies to attempt to affect laws.
However in contrast to most committees, whoever chairs the panel will finally be as much as the speaker — and it’s normally a dependable management ally.
The present chair, Michael Burgess of Texas, is retiring. Some have floated Rep. Man Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania for the place, however he’s additionally chief deputy whip.
There’s additionally been a swirl of chatter round Rep. Virginia Foxx, who’s dropping her schooling and workforce gavel to time period limits. The North Carolinian declined to say Wednesday whether or not she would settle for the highest job on Guidelines if supplied.
“I’m not operating for something,” she stated with fun.
Like Burgess, Foxx is a fierce defender of the president-elect. After delivering remarks at Trump rallies main as much as the election, her identify is now amongst these being floated for Schooling secretary.
— Jordain Carney and Eleanor Mueller