Ways and Means Battle Kicks Off

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Rep. Jim McCrery’s (R-La.) announcement late last week that he will not seek re-election in 2008 immediately touched off a yearlong race for one of the most powerful posts in Congress — the top Republican slot on the Ways and Means Committee.

Early jockeying points to at least a two-person race between Reps. Wally Herger (Calif.) and Dave Camp (Mich.), with the possibility of a three-man contest emerging.

While Herger is next on the tax-writing panel’s GOP roster, Camp has been a close ally of Republican leaders and is widely viewed as having the inside track to succeed McCrery.

Still, Herger released a statement Monday asserting that he plans to fight for the job, which will ultimately be determined by a vote of the GOP Steering Committee next November.

“As the most senior Republican member of the Ways and Means Committee, I intend to run to succeed Jim and have already informed leadership of my intention to do so,” Herger said. “I hope and intend to lead the Republicans on the committee next year — hopefully as their chairman.”

Herger was not a candidate for the top Republican slot on Ways and Means two years ago, when it was last open, even though he had more seniority than McCrery at the time.

Camp, meanwhile, also has jumped in the race and already has begun making calls to Members.

“Yes, he’s going to seek the position,” Camp spokesman Sage Eastman said. “He is reaching out to other Members and has had a lot of positive feedback.”

Camp, in his ninth term in the House, is currently the ranking member on the Health Subcommittee and played a leading role in the recent debate over children’s health care legislation. Herger, an 11-term Member, is the ranking member of the Trade Subcommittee.

Republicans both on Capitol Hill and on K Street said Monday that early handicapping showed Camp with an edge, citing his strong ties to leadership and his fundraising prowess.

“It is Camp’s to lose,” said one Republican member of the committee, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “My sense is that the leadership would be predisposed toward Dave.”

“The guy to beat is Camp,” added one GOP lobbyist.

A possible dark-horse candidate in the race could be Rep. Phil English (R-Pa.), who will be fourth in seniority on the panel next Congress. English released a statement praising McCrery, but a spokeswoman for the Congressman said it was premature to talk about any possible interest he might have in the ranking member slot.

“Jim’s energy and policy vision have been one of the unifying forces among the Republican Ways and Means members, and his departure will leave big shoes to fill,” English said in his statement.

English, however, would face several obstacles if he enters the race. The seven-term Republican represents a marginal district and faces a potentially competitive re-election race next year. Sources said those two factors would likely handicap his bid if he were to make one because as ranking member he would be expected to take hard-line party positions that could put him in jeopardy with voters back home.

Both Herger and Camp are from more solidly Republican districts and have not had competitive re-election contests.

Another name being floated as a possible contender among some Republicans on Monday was that of Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who is much more junior on the committee.

Ryan, currently the ranking member on the Budget Committee, is a darling of fiscal conservatives and would likely have strong backing from that wing of the party if he were to toss his name into the race. Still, the 37-year-old Congressman will be ninth in seniority among Republicans on the panel next cycle, and the leap to ranking member would be a long one.