Swing state rep announces run for GOP conference chair after Stefanik tapped for UN ambassador

Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., is running to lead the Republican conference in the next congress, officially announcing after the current chair was tapped for a top Trump administration role. 

"The modern Republican Party personifies my home state of Michigan and delivered Republicans the White House, Senate, and House majority," McClain said in a statement shared first with Fox News Digital. "From my humble beginnings working on a horse farm to building a company with billions of assets under management, our modern Republican Party needs someone who has lived the American dream and can effectively communicate President Trump’s ‘America First’ agenda with the American people. That’s why today, I announce my candidacy to lead the House Republican Conference as Chairwoman."

The announcement comes just hours after President-elect Trump nominated the current chair, Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., to be ambassador to the United Nations in his upcoming administration.

"It’s been an honor to serve our Conference as Secretary for the past two years alongside Chairwoman Stefanik. Elise has done a tremendous job during her tenure, and I fully intend to build upon the successes she has brought to our Conference as we work with President Trump to Make America Great Again," McClain added.

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The conference chair, the fourth-ranking position in the chamber, will preside over conference meetings and day-to-day operations for Republican members of the House.

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With Stefanik, who has held the position since replacing former Rep. Liz Cheney in 2021, stepping into the Trump administration, a race for the chair position remains wide open.

Also reportedly running for the position is Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., and Rep. Erin Houchin, R-Ind.

In a Dear Colleague letter, shared first with Fox News Digital on Monday, McClain made her case for the position.

"First, I am the right person to effectively communicate our policies to the American people, and defend the Conference from the expected onslaught of attacks that will come our way," she wrote. 

McClain also noted her ability to maintain her seat in a blue state.

"Second, I hail from a blue state, one of the most critical battlegrounds for the presidency and our House majority. I understand what it takes to win tough races. As a proud surrogate for President Trump, I helped deliver Macomb County, a political bellwether, by directly appealing to and earning the trust of a large and diverse coalition of voters," McClain wrote to her colleagues. "It is precisely this approach that we will need the next two years to ensure we retain and even grow our Conference, as we did for our great teammates."