Lucas won’t rule out Hensarling challenge

Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) refused to rule out a run against House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling.

It comes as financial services insiders say that Lucas would have virtually no chance of winning against Hensarling, and that Lucas is being floated as retaliation by those who oppose Hensarling’s style of governing.

{mosads}One senior Republican member of the House, who asked not to be named to speak more freely on the issue, said that the reports were little more than an effort for GOP leadership to pressure Hensarling.

“It’s leadership trying to put pressure on him,” the GOP member said.

Spokespeople for Hensarling and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Lucas refused to answer the question directly about his plans when asked repeatedly if he would challenge Hensarling.

Hensarling, a Tea Partier, has advocated for reforms on a number of programs and has faced stiff opposition from the business community on insurance issues and banking regulatory issues.

“While I have never said that I was explicitly running for chairman of the Committee, I continue to listen to the comments of my colleagues,” Lucas said in an interview. “The question you should think through is who is the dominant force on the steering committee that helps them make the decision — that’s combined leadership.”

Lucas then added: “I intend to help the chairman in whatever capacity I am in on financial services everyday and every way,” Lucas added.

One financial services lobbyist, who has opposed many of Hensarling’s policies, dubbed Lucas nothing more than a “trial balloon.”

“While he’s a voice for some Members’ dissatisfaction, it is 100 percent clear that Hensarling will continue as Chairman of House Financial Services,” said the lobbyist.

Hensarling doesn’t seem worried, either. 

Hensarling chief of staff Andrew Duke told The Dallas Morning News last month that he’s “already secured the support and votes on the Steering Committee to continue serving as the Financial Services Committee chairman.”

“Certainly any member of a committee has a right to run or think about a run for the chairmanship,” Duke told The Dallas Morning News. “But frankly, at a critical moment when so many are working so hard to grow and unify our Republican majority in the House and win the Senate, it’s a puzzling time for this type of speculation on future leadership races.”

Members of the Committee also signaled support of Hensarling.

“Jeb is solid. I don’t think that challenge amounts to anything,” said Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.) said. “Jeb has got the support of the committee.”

And Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.) said that she was “certainly supportive of Chairman Hensarling.”

“He’s been very good to me and serving on the Committee has been an incredible experience,” Wagner said.

Outgoing-Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), another Committee member, called Hensarling “fabulous.”

“I love him as chairman,” she said. “He is intellectual, sharp and on the issues. And he handles the committee with kid gloves and I love it and I love his leadership.”