‘Proud to serve’: These are the frontrunners to succeed Elise Stefanik in GOP leadership

The horse race for House GOP conference chair kicked off Monday after President-elect Donald Trump announced he’d selected New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik as ambassador to the United Nations.

Michigan Rep. Lisa McClain and Indiana Rep. Erin Houchin have both launched bids for the number four position in House GOP leadership, their offices confirmed to the Daily Caller News Foundation. Florida Rep. Kat Cammack has also announced her candidacy, while Rep. Blake Moore — the current House GOP vice chair — is reportedly considering a run as well.

Florida Republican Rep. Byron Donalds — who ran against Stefanik for the conference chair position in 2022 — has passed on a bid of his own, instead throwing his support behind fellow Florida lawmaker Cammack, a source familiar with the congressman’s decision told the DCNF.

Meanwhile, Republican Wyoming Rep. Harriet Hageman was encouraged by members of the Freedom Caucus to pursue the chairmanship but passed on the offer, a source familiar with the matter told the DCNF. Hageman will support McClain’s bid and is expected to seek the Conference Secretary position.

“Republicans are entering President Trump’s second term with momentum to fulfill our mandate to Make America Great Again. To communicate our vision effectively, I’m running for Republican Conference Chair,” Houchin told the DCNF. “Having owned and operated a communications firm, I know how to reach the right audience at the right time. The role of Conference Chair is not about being in the spotlight; it’s about amplifying our members’ voices and providing them the tools they need.”

The Indiana congresswoman was one of 18 Republican lawmakers who requested House Speaker Mike Johnson not pursue a wholesale repeal of the subsidies in President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Houchin’s support for some IRA tax credits could conflict with Trump’s agenda, with the president-elect saying in September that he would “terminate” the Biden-Harris administration’s signature climate law if elected.

NEW: President-Elect Trump has reportedly chosen Congresswoman Elise Stefanik as UN Ambassador. pic.twitter.com/HAKGsv3Vq2

— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) November 11, 2024

“The modern Republican Party personifies my home state of Michigan and delivered Republicans the White House, Senate, and House majority,” McClain told Fox News Digital. “From my humble beginnings working on a horse farm to building a company with billions of assets under management, our modern Republican Party needs someone who has lived the American dream and can effectively communicate President Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda with the American people. That’s why today, I announce my candidacy to lead the House Republican Conference as Chairwoman.”

With McClain running for conference chair, Republican Missouri Rep. Mark Alford has launched a bid for her current role as conference secretary.

It remains unclear who Stefanik will endorse as her successor, with McClain telling the DCNF, “I’ve been proud to serve alongside Elise in the Conference under her leadership and hope to earn her support.”

Stefanik took over as conference chair in May 2021 after Republicans ousted former Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney — the daughter of former Vice President Dick Cheney who announced her support for Vice President Kamala Harris in September.

House Republicans have scheduled their leadership election for 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Capitol Hill.

Moore and Cammack’s offices did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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