The race to become the top Republican on the House Committee on Ways and Means is heating up, with three senior lawmakers battling to lead the powerful tax-writing panel next Congress.
Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL), the most senior member on the panel, Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), a senior member who currently serves as the ranking member of the Subcommittee on Trade, and Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO), the ranking member on the House Budget Committee, are vying for the gavel as Republicans express optimism about their odds of taking back the majority.
As the lawmakers make calls and meet with members of the Steering Committee in an effort to lock down support, Buchanan and Jason Smith are seen as the front-runners in the race, nine members familiar with the conversations told the Washington Examiner. Multiple sources stated that they see Adrian Smith as a strong dark horse who is well respected within the conference.
All three lawmakers asserted that their top priority is helping Republicans flip control of the lower chamber in November, with each ramping up fundraising efforts, a key factor in the decision-making process in the past, and donations to the National Republican Congressional Committee.
Buchanan has transferred $2.7 million to the House GOP’s campaign arm, Jason Smith has transferred $2.1 million, and Adrian Smith has contributed $1.1 million “in hard money to candidates and committees” this cycle and ranks within the top 20 in member contributions to the NRCC.
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Buchanan, one of the wealthiest members of Congress, has been highlighting his business experience, noting that he is self-made and believes his background provides him with a unique skill set that would be valuable in leading the panel.
“My background is a little different than the others. I was in business for 30 years creating thousands of jobs. We started a company called American Speedy Printing, just to give you a little background, in the mid-’70s with a couple of stores, my wife and I, blue-collar kids, we went from two to 800 stores across the country and Canada, and I sold that to Merrill Lynch and moved from Michigan to Florida and got in the car business and did what they call a roll up, and we had 25 car dealerships and 1,200 employees,” he said in an interview.
“I’ve been blessed to live the American dream. And I want to bring that to have a big impact on the committee, because if you look back historically, too many people have that kind of a business background. My background is a little different than the others. I was in business for 30 years creating thousands of jobs,” he added.
Buchanan noted that during his tenure on the committee, he has served as chairman or ranking member of five of the six subcommittees, adding that he has a solid grasp on the issues that fall under the panel’s jurisdiction.
Supporters of the Florida Republican have praised his contributions toward candidates and his policy chops, asserting they believe he’s earned the position and is the best-qualified candidate for the role.
“He’s got the experience. He’s been the chairman and ranking member on every one of the subcommittees. He’s next in line in seniority, he knows the issues well, and on the fundraising standpoint, he’s doing well,” one senior lawmaker said.
Jason Smith said that his experience as the top Republican on the House Budget Committee has provided him with the experience needed to run the panel successfully.
“I’ve been tested the last 18 months with running the Budget Committee. When I took over the budget committee, there wasn’t one communication staffer. On Jan. 3, Jan. 5, we lost the United States Senate, and then it became ground zero for all these big spending fights because reconciliation goes through it,” he told the Washington Examiner in a recent interview.
The Missouri Republican added that in addition to having a grasp on the policy issues, he has placed a strong focus on helping candidates get elected as Republicans fight to take back the majority, hitting the campaign trail and helping raise money.
“Clearly, spending and inflation is the No. 1 issue this election cycle, and I’m on the ground helping members. By Election Day, I’ll probably be in over 40 states helping different candidates and members,” he continued. “This week alone, I’m in six states. Next week, I’m in four states. People want to talk about spending and budgetary issues, so I’ve proven to the conference I can run a good standing committee, and I’m prepared to do that.”
Supporters of the Missouri Republican said despite his lack of seniority, his efforts to hit the campaign trail with candidates have helped him garner support.
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“Jason’s got the competency. He knows the numbers. He’s got a command for the subject matter. I mean, I know Vern has chaired all these different subcommittees, but Vern didn’t talk to me for eight years, and now, he’s acting like my best friend inviting me places,” one steering member said.
“All of a sudden, you know, he’s everybody’s friend and throwing a lot of money around, but I just don’t think the Steering Committee is going to make the decision based on that. I feel like it’s 2 a.m. at the bar, and the guy who didn’t talk to me all night and is trying to take me home now,” the member added.
Two sources familiar told the Washington Examiner that they felt House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), whose vote carries more weight than other members of the panel, may be putting his thumb on the scale in favor of the Missouri Republican.
“It should be Vern, if the election is run fairly. He has done everything correctly,” another member of the committee said. “If McCarthy is pushing him, that is the unfair piece.”
But others dismissed the notion that McCarthy is throwing his weight behind a particular member, arguing that he has good relationships with all three candidates, with Adrian Smith having long been a close ally of the California Republican and the leader having praised Buchanan as knowing “business better than everybody else” during a recent fundraiser.
“Jason is working his tail off and rising,” another member added. “At this point, I’d give him an edge. No, [I don’t think McCarthy is advocating for him]. The sense [is] that Jason is earning it and everyone sees the hard work he’s putting into [it], plus the hard work he’s put into being budget ranking member.”
McCarthy’s office has denied that he is throwing his weight behind a particular member and said that it is an open race.
“That’s not true. Leader McCarthy is meeting with all three candidates for the position this week, and the Steering Committee for the 118th Congress will make the decision at the appropriate time,” said McCarthy spokesman Mark Bednar.
Other senior GOP sources said they wouldn’t count out Adrian Smith, who joined the committee the same year as Buchanan and currently serves as the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Trade, with multiple lawmakers noting the conference has been impressed with his policy chops and that he is well-respected by his colleagues.
“I feel really good about where we are right now. I’m the policy guy in the race. That kind of separates me from the competition. It’s competitive, and it should be,” he said.
“This is an important job. We all bring a different emphasis, and so, as we sort through the issues, especially the issues that need to be front and center at the beginning of next year, it is very important that we focus on getting people back to work, off the sidelines of our economy, and so, having worked in that area for quite a bit, I think it’s a good spot to be in.”
The senior lawmaker noted his work on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the GOP’s landmark tax reform legislation.
“Now, it was a great opportunity to legislate. We had lots of meetings, but we also had a great work product to show for it, and I think the economy responded so positively. I shudder to think what it would have been like, you know what, COVID, had we not had such a strong economy heading into that,” he continued.
“And USMCA, I traveled to both Mexico City and in Montreal for various rounds when negotiators were engaging some colleagues, and I joined those efforts and had discussions there on site,” he added.
Adrian Smith has also been traveling the country in an effort to boost the party’s 2022 candidates, with a spokesperson noting that he has long been a power player in contributing to candidates, having given $565,100 in hard money to candidates and committees last cycle.
The Nebraska Republican made a video in his home state touting his expertise on an array of areas in an effort to lock down support from members.
The Steering Committee is expected to make its decision on who will replace outgoing ranking member Kevin Brady (R-TX) early next year.
