(The Center Square) – Michigan Republican Rep. Lisa McClain has been elected the party’s conference chairwoman, succeeding New York Rep. Elise Stefanik and securing the highest-ranking open slot this year.
McClain won a third term in the U.S. House of Representatives last week. She has campaigned with other GOP leaders throughout this election. The spot makes McClain the fourth-ranking member of the House Republican leadership.
“I am honored to be chosen by my colleagues to serve as the Republican Conference Chairwoman, and I thank my constituents in MI-09 for their continued support,” posted McClain on X.
According to Politico, McClain defeated Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., by a vote of 146-67, with one vote for Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga.
McClain said she was “excited to lead our unified team” alongside President-elect Donald Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to pass the America First Agenda.
Trump ran his campaign on the promise to unleash American energy, rein in wasteful federal spending, cut costly and burdensome regulations, stop illegal immigration, and restore peace through strength.
Trump’s emerging administration is a reflection of his priorities on efficiency, foreign relations, and conservative policy reform.
Stefanik was chosen to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Presidential picks to his Cabinet and how they rank in succession to the presidency – as set up now under President Joe Biden – are vice president, secretary of state, secretary of the Treasury Department, secretary of the Defense Department, attorney general, secretary of the Interior Department, secretary of the Agriculture Department, secretary of the Commerce Department, secretary of the Labor Department, secretary of Health and Human Services, deputy secretary performing delegable duties of the secretary, secretary of the Transportation Department, secretary of the Energy Department, secretary of the Education Department, secretary of Veterans Affairs, secretary of Homeland Security, chief of staff, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, director of National Intelligence, U.S. trade representative, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, administrator of the Small Business Administration, director of the Office of Management and Budget, director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
For Trump, his other personnel announcements – including some for his Cabinet – through midday Thursday include:
• U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, secretary of state.
• Pete Hegseth, secretary of the Department of Defense.
• U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., attorney general.
• Gov. Kristi Noem of South Dakota, secretary of Homeland Security.
• Susie Wiles, chief of staff.
• Stephen Miller, deputy chief of staff.
• Lee Zeldin, administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Tulsi Gabbard, director of National Intelligence Office.
• John Ratcliffe, director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
• U.S. Rep. Mike Waltz, national security adviser.
• Tom Homan, labeled border czar.
• Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, leaders of the newly-created Department of Government Efficiency.
• William Joseph McGinley, White House counsel.
• Mike Huckabee, ambassador to Israel.
• Steven C. Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East.
The Cabinet level picks thus far are U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio as vice president, Wiles, Stefanik, Zeldin, Hegseth, Noem, Ratcliffe, Rubio, Gabbard and Gaetz.
Past candidates for president in this group include Rubio, Gabbard, Ramaswamy and Huckabee.
