Texas Republican Rep. August Pfluger won the race to chair the Republican Study Committee, defeating Virginia Republican Ben Cline in a 80-57 vote behind closed doors Friday morning.
Pfluger is succeeding Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), who defeated Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.) earlier this week in the race to become the House GOP’s policy chair.
The RSC is the largest official faction within the House GOP conference, including centrists, moderates, more traditional conservatives and even some members of the ultraconservative Freedom Caucus. Speaker Mike Johnson previously led the group.
Winning the RSC gavel will give Pfluger a seat in weekly meetings Johnson holds with members of leadership, heads of the respective “families” within the House Republican Conference and other members.
