The race for the House Foreign Affairs Committee gavel is heating up after its current chair officially bowed out following an alcohol-related airport incident, setting off a four-way scramble to lead the panel.
Running for the post are GOP Reps. Ann Wagner (Mo.), the vice chair of the panel and a former ambassador to Luxembourg; Darrell Issa (Calif.), who previously chaired the House Oversight Committee; Brian Mast (Fla.), who was previously floated for secretary of Veterans Affairs; and Joe Wilson (S.C.), co-chair of the Ukraine caucus and the panel’s No. 3 in seniority.
This race could help determine whether Republicans have any elected women committee chairs next year. There are currently only two GOP women chairs, but one is retiring (Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington State) and the other is term-limited. Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) is in the running for House Rules chair, which is appointed by the speaker. Retiring Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) gave up the gavel at the Appropriations Committee earlier this year.
The HFAC contenders have been working the phones and making their case to key colleagues. They’ll give formal presentations to the GOP Steering Committee during the first week of December.
House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who is term-limited in the role, announced Friday he wouldn’t seek a waiver to stay on as chair, citing respect for the conference rules. The decision came days after NBC News reported that McCaul was briefly detained by police at an airport after appearing drunk. The Texas Republican’s office said McCaul wasn’t arrested and added that the veteran lawmaker was just disorientated from mixing Ambien and alcohol to help him sleep on the flight.
Even before the incident, sources say McCaul was unlikely to receive a waiver, with leadership wary of granting those to anyone. But as word of the airport episode spread, senior GOP sources said it helped guarantee that no waiver would be granted for McCaul.
The Trump factor: The next chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee will play a key role during a critical moment in global affairs. President-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly expressed doubt about continued U.S. support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, wants to rebalance American alliances and could set off an international trade war.
McCaul was a steadfast supporter of Ukraine aid. But some of the Republican candidates to succeed him have sought to align themselves closely with Trump.
Mast, a Trump ally, frequently visits Mar-a-Lago and spent a lot of time campaigning with Trump in Michigan and Pennsylvania this cycle. Mast also voted against Ukraine aid earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Issa told us he agreed with Trump’s efforts to work on a peace deal to avoid having an “endless war” in Ukraine. The California Republican touted his longtime support of Trump, although others have noted Issa voted against Trump’s 2017 tax cut package. Issa visited Mar-a-Lago a few days after the election.
“I’ve been a solid supporter of the president all along,” Issa told us. “I campaigned for him in 2016 when I was in a Hillary +11 seat and I campaigned for him again this time.”
Some members have raised concerns about Wagner’s past criticism of Trump. The Missouri Republican sharply condemned Trump’s comments about women during his first presidential run in 2016 and supported censuring Trump’s rhetoric in 2021 shortly after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
But as the only woman running for a committee gavel, that could give Wagner a boost. She’s also close with some members of the House GOP leadership who have outsized influence on the race. Trump endorsed Wagner’s reelection this year and she has done rallies for the incoming president.
Wilson could also run into trouble from the MAGA wing over his strong support for aiding Ukraine.
“I’ve been a surrogate for President Trump,” Wilson said. “We need to back up the president’s agenda and policies. And I feel very comfortable doing that.”
