South Carolina GOPs covet House Appropriations seat

Several Republican members have queued up to fill a temporary vacancy left by Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) on the House Appropriations Committee, including two members of the South Carolina delegation who are campaigning vigorously to capture the seat for the Palmetto State.

The Republican Steering Committee is scheduled to meet this afternoon to choose replacements for the committee position vacated by Doolittle. They also must fill the slots left by Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.), who sat on the Natural Resources, Intelligence, and Financial Services committees.

{mosads}Both chose to step down from their assignments after federal agents raided their respective properties last month in two unconnected probes.

 Two South Carolina Republicans, Reps. Joe Wilson and Henry Brown Jr., have expressed interest in the Appropriations post left by Doolittle. Both argue that the state has had no representation on the panel since Majority Whip James Clyburn (D) became a member of leadership — and that the panel has not had a Republican South Carolinian since the 1980s.

“Congressman Wilson is a strong advocate for Republican principles and has consistently demonstrated his willingness to work on behalf of his colleagues’ success,” Wilson spokeswoman Kim Olive said yesterday. “Congressman Wilson’s tireless work on behalf of the Republican Conference makes him the best-situated member for the Appropriations slot.”

 Meanwhile, Brown’s chief of staff has encouraged Republicans to approach Steering Committee members with three talking points, according to an internal e-mail obtained by The Hill.

“Congressman Brown would be a safe and non-controversial choice for the House Appropriations Committee that could work well with Republicans and Democrat Members such as Democrat Whip Jim Clyburn,” wrote Brown Chief of Staff Chris Berardini. “Some might say that this is a ‘California’ seat … South Carolina has had no Republican representation on the Appropriations Committee since former Rep. Carroll Campbell Jr. served on the House Appropriations Committee in the ’80s.”

The third talking point encouraged supporters to mention Brown’s role as a member of several committees at the state level, which would make him a good fit for a position on the Appropriations panel.

In an ironic twist, Brown endorsed Wilson for a position on the Appropriations post in a 2004 letter signed by all South Carolina Republicans. That letter also recommended Brown for a position on the House Ways and Means panel.
“As Republican House members of the South Carolina Delegation, we would like to express our solidarity and strongest possible support for Henry Brown to serve on the Committee on Ways and Means and for Joe Wilson to serve on the Committee on Appropriations in the 109th Congress,” said the letter, which was signed by Brown, Wilson, Rep. Gresham Barrett and then-Rep. Jim DeMint.

When asked about that letter yesterday, Brown said he supported Wilson when there were two positions open on finance-oriented panels. But he said he now believes that his seniority and his experience on the state level make him more qualified for the Appropriations seat.

“I certainly hope the Steering Committee will take [my experience] into consideration,” Brown said.

A senior GOP aide said that about five Republican members have explicitly expressed interest in the post, including Brown, Wilson, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (Fla.) and Rep. Ken Calvert (Calif.).

Due to his district’s location, Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) has also been mentioned as a possible contender for the seat should Calvert be passed over, but he has not openly sought a position on the panel.

“His focus has always been on the Financial Services Committee,” said Reichert Chief of Staff Mike Shields. He added that Reichert, like any member of Congress, would welcome the Appropriations post should he be approached to fill the vacancy.