Tonight, the House Republican Steering Committee selected Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) to be the next Chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security, filling the vacancy left by the resignation of Rep. Mark Green (R-TN).
Four candidates competed for the post: Garbarino; Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), former mayor of Miami-Dade County; Rep. Michael Guest (R-MS), current Chair of the House Ethics Committee; and Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA), a former law enforcement officer and member of the House Freedom Caucus.
A close ally of leadership and a member of the Steering Committee. himself, Garbarino secured the gavel on the second ballot, buoyed by a sharp presentation and strong working relationships across the ideological spectrum of the conference.
Garbarino becomes the latest New York Republican to lead the panel. Former Rep. John Katko served one term as Ranking Member, and former Rep. Pete King served as both Chair and Ranking Member across multiple Congresses.
Separately, the Steering Committee placed freshman Rep. Randy Fine (R-FL)-nicknamed “The Hebrew Hammer”-on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Following Rep. Green’s departure, the current House breakdown stands at 219 Republicans, 212 Democrats, and 4 vacancies.
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