Both House Republicans and Democrats have sidestepped senior members when choosing some committee leaders.
Republicans picked Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) on Dec. 9 to lead the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
The GOP Steering Committee, which recommends committee chairs, selected the four-term congressman over veteran Reps. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), and Darrell Issa (R-Calif.). Wilson was the most senior member of that group.
Mast will succeed Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas), who is term-limited as chairman.
Additionally, the Steering Committee recommended Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) over Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) for the House Energy and Commerce Committee despite the latter having seniority over the former.
These picks are subject to confirmation by the whole GOP conference though that is essentially a formality.
No females were picked for committee chairmanships as the GOP has two women chairs: Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) of the House Education and Workforce Committee and Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The former is term-limited as chairwoman while the latter is retiring from Congress.
Meanwhile, House Democrats have seen shakeups on a couple of key committees.
Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.) is running to be the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee to succeed Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.), who has been experiencing health issues. Craig has been in Congress since January 2019.
Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.) is seeking to be the top Democrat on the House Natural Resources Committee to succeed Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), who is stepping down from that role due to a cancer diagnosis that led to him taking a significant leave of absence. Huffman has been in Congress since January 2013.
Despite the reshuffling and competition on those committees, the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee recommended keeping the current top Democrats on the House Ways and Means, Rules, Financial Services, Energy and Commerce, and Appropriations Committees.
They are Reps. Richard Neal (D-Mass.), Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), and Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), respectively. There were no competitors for these positions.
The House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee picks are subject to confirmation by the House Democrat conference. As is the case with their counterparts in the GOP, this is a rubber stamp.
