The decision by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) to run for Speaker has set off jockeying to fill his current spot as head of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee.
Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), the second-most senior member on the tax-writing panel, announced Monday that he is seeking the chairmanship. In making his case to his colleagues, Brady argued he was best suited to help Ryan drive House Republicans to new heights of achievement.
{mosads}“House Republicans are unifying behind Paul Ryan and his bold, positive vision for America. To advance Speaker Ryan’s pro-growth agenda we need a pro-growth conservative Ways and Means chairman who has a proven record of working successfully with House Republicans of all philosophies to advance tax reform, entitlement reform and free trade,” he said in a statement.
Along with Brady, Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio) is angling to take the gavel, and Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), the current House Intelligence Committee chairman, is also eyeing a run.
Ryan only took control of the Ways and Means Committee at the beginning of the year, but the surprise resignation of Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and dramatic turmoil within the House Republican Conference pushed Ryan to wage a reluctant campaign to take over as House leader.
Ryan announced last week that he would run if he had unified support among House Republicans, and strong support from the party’s most conservative group gave him the green light. Republicans will vote Wednesday on Ryan as speaker, followed by the full House on Thursday.
Brady chairs the Health Subcommittee on Ways and Means, previously headed the Trade Subcommittee there, and also once served as chairman of the Joint Economic Committee.
Brady argued that experience would allow him to “hit the ground running” as committee chairman.
This post updated at 12:30pm.