House Republicans are hoping House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA) will run for a leadership position amid speculation he is vying to replace Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) as the chamber’s top Democrat if she opts to retire following the midterm elections, with GOP lawmakers arguing that the high-profile Democrat would be easier to villainize in attack ads than other possible contenders.
While Pelosi has not said she plans to step down, Schiff met with Democrats at the Capitol recently to discuss his leadership ambitions, Politico reported.
Republicans have repeatedly attacked Schiff, whose profile skyrocketed during Donald Trump’s first impeachment proceedings, accusing the lawmaker of lying while overseeing the investigation. More than 170 GOP members attempted to censure him in 2019.
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Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Banks (R-IN) said he believes putting Schiff in a leadership role would be beneficial to the GOP’s ability to raise money due to his name recognition and low approval ratings among the GOP’s base.
“Republicans are cheering for Schiff to become the Democratic minority leader. I’m already writing my fundraising emails,” he told the Washington Examiner.
One senior GOP lawmaker said they believe if Schiff is elected to the position, it would show Democrats are “the most out of touch I’ve ever seen” but would benefit the GOP.
“Schiff has more baggage than a 14-car train, but I’d much rather see Schiff than a new face. I mean, the Democrats’ problem is that they are the most out of touch I’ve ever seen with the American people. I don’t think they have any idea why they’re about to get the shellacking they’re about to get,” they said.
“I think it would just demonstrate that they haven’t learned anything. I think they’d be much better off with a fresh start with a new face. … They want a new generation, so they’re going from 80-year-olds to 60-year-olds, so that’s a good move,” the member added with a laugh.
The member said they believe House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) taking over the top spot in the Democratic caucus would be a worst-case scenario for Republicans, arguing that it would be difficult to attack the Maryland Democrat due to his positive working relationship with members across the aisle.
“That would be the scariest thing for us since Hoyer is well-liked and smart — he’s great,” the lawmaker said.
Rep. Guy Reschanthaler (R-PA), a member of House GOP leadership, said it would be easier to hit Democratic candidates in elections by tying them to the California Democrat than other names being floated.
“I don’t know where he is on favorability with the Republican base, but I’d have to imagine that his name ID is higher than [House Democratic Caucus Chairman] Hakeem Jeffries [D-NY] and some others, so that will make it a lot easier to tie him to Democrats and Democratic candidates,” he said.
“I’d have to imagine his unfavorability rating is fairly high, especially after peddling disinformation about that 2016 election. This is going to be a windfall for the Republican movement,” he added.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has made Schiff a mainstay in his attacks on Democrats, with the California Republican vowing to remove him from the House Intelligence Committee if Republicans take back the majority in the lower chamber.
“Schiff will be lucky if he has committee assignments next Congress,” a second lawmaker who requested anonymity said. “His tenure as chair of Intel has done almost as much damage to the institution as Pelosi being speaker.”
Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO) took aim at all of the Democratic lawmakers seen as potential contenders to be the next face of the party, arguing that none offer a stark departure from the current lineup.
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“Whether it’s Adam Schiff, Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), or any of the other rumored candidates, the next generation of Democrat leadership seems to be in agreement that they are less interested in addressing any of the crises facing American families and instead plan to prioritize a continuation of the policies of Nancy Pelosi and the current Democrat leaders who have pushed massive inflationary government spending, lawless cities, an open border, and the labeling of school parents as terrorists,” he said.
A third GOP member noted that “Schiff is more identifiable among our base,” which they see as being potentially beneficial.
While Pelosi has not indicated what her next moves will be, Hoyer and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC) have not ruled out a bid in the event she steps down. Jeffries has also been touted as a likely front-runner to lead the party in a post-Pelosi era, with his colleagues praising his communication skills and ability to serve as a bridge between centrists and progressives.
