In the last few months, the battle among House Republicans to chair the Homeland Security Committee has undergone a significant transformation.
Three members who previously declared their interest in the position are withdrawing.
Additionally, there are two frontrunners in the contest who are not panel members.
Reps. Dan Bishop, Michael Guest, and Scott Perry, the chair of the House Freedom Caucus, all verified to Politico that they are no longer operating to succeed retiring Rep. John Katko, the panel’s present ranking member.
Bishop claimed after assessing his possibilities as a “dark horse” contender, he found he didn’t stand a reasonable chance of winning and has since changed his focus to joining the House Oversight Committee.
Since his fellow member of the delegation, Republican Rep. Steven Palazzo, failed his primary, Guest refocused his efforts on running for an available position on the House Appropriations Committee.
Additionally, Perry, a former panelist who indicated interest in the position, said he is not competing for it and added that he already had his “hands full.”
Green and Crenshaw are Frontrunners
GOP Representatives Mark Green of Tennessee, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, and Dan Crenshaw of Texas are thought to be the frontrunners in the campaign.
Both are former panelists who have experience. Fellow HFC member, Rep. Clay Higgins, is also vying for the position.
Despite appearing confident in his efforts, members of Republican leadership and the Steering Committee have ruled out the possibility of him taking the gavel.
House Homeland Security Committee Republicans accuse Democrats of ignoring raging border crisis https://t.co/zyy2uJz2Gh
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 17, 2022
Bishop’s and Guests’ statements, which Politico broke first, show the campaign has significantly evolved since we first described it in February, when it was already very competitive and three members of the House Freedom Caucus were running.
Green: I Am The Right Guy
In a question and answer session, Green asserts he is “the appropriate guy for the position,” noting his experience as a three-time combat veteran Army Ranger Infantry Officer, successful entrepreneur, and information systems graduate as qualifications.
The main threats to the nation’s national security, according to him, are the southern border and the cyber frontier.
Green is a compelling possibility because, if chosen, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy would be able to claim that he appointed a second HFC representative to a senior leadership post, joining HFC Rep. Jim Jordan in that distinction.
Crenshaw’s office affirmed, when questioned about his intentions, that he is campaigning for the Homeland Security Committee position.
NEWS: The race to be chair/Ranker of Homeland Security Committee spot is already has undergone a shakeup.
Reps. Michael Guest, Dan Bishop and Scott Perry tell me they are no longer pursuing the post.
Reps. Mark Green & Dan Crenshaw are top contendershttps://t.co/uFO5zNyHPY
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) September 22, 2022
In support of his candidacy, the former Navy SEAL provided Politico with a QR code image that links to a video in which he explains to supporters why he ought to be the chairman.
The border, a crucial issue for the GOP, is heavily stressed.
In this cycle, Crenshaw generated more than $950,000 for the House GOP campaigns arm, making him a very active and successful fundraiser. He has a significant platform and the convention rates him as a strong TV communicator.
This article appeared in Powerhouse News and has been published here with permission.
