Jan 9, 2025 - Politics & Policy

Scoop: Senate GOP steering committee getting new leader

Stef W. Kight

Sen. Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah arrives for the Senate Republican leadership vote at the US Capitol — Sen. Mike Lee of Utah arrives for the Senate Republican leadership vote at the U.S. Capitol. Photo: Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Senate Republican Steering Committee will have a new chair for the 119th Congress, with Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) stepping down to lead the Energy committee, Axios has learned.

Why it matters: The committee includes many of the most conservative senators — serving as a sort of Freedom Caucus in the Senate. It will be a critical voting bloc for Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) over the next two years.

Sen. Roger Marshall's (R-Kan.) name was floated as the next potential chair by multiple sources. Nothing has been decided, though, and there will be an exploration, nomination and voting process over the coming weeks.
Marshall was evasive when asked about the changes at the top of the committee, saying "we'll see" when asked if he would be in the running.

Zoom out: It's a loosely defined group with no official roster, but the steering committee members tend to be conservative rabble-rousers. Some key members backed Sen. Rick Scott's (R-Fla.) bid for GOP leader in 2022 and 2024

The group also features Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Eric Schmitt of Missouri, Ted Cruz of Texas, Rand Paul of Kentucky and others. They are often leading efforts to block or slow down movement on legislation they oppose.
Steering included some of the loudest members demanding that the new Senate Republican leader take a more democratic approach and allow more amendment votes.

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Scoop: Senate GOP steering committee getting new leader

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