Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) is eager to lead the House Armed Services Committee come next year — and he’s looking to use the forthcoming defense policy bill as his latest proving ground.
Wittman said he welcomes competition to the panel’s top Republican, which could come from Reps. Trent Kelly (R-Miss.) and Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), and that colleagues should judge him on his performance executing the next National Defense Authorization Act.
“I want to make sure that it’s my performance that is the deciding factor in this,” Wittman said in an interview in his office. “I never expected to go into this without any competition. I would argue competition is a good thing.”
