The House Republican Steering Committee on Monday in a surprise vote recommended Rep. Brian Mast of Florida, an Army veteran known for his sharp tongue and grievance politics, to be the next chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, the office of Speaker Mike Johnson confirmed.
Mast, a Ukraine aid opponent, has had sharp disagreements with ranking member Gregory W. Meeks, D-N.Y., during business meetings. He was a late entrant in the race for the gavel, beating out three more senior members to win a contest whose results surprised watchers.
“I’m very, very surprised. I’m floored. I did not expect this and I did not speak to anyone that did,” said a former Republican congressional aide following the vote, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.
