Moran: No Senate Communications Chair Decision Made
Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., clarified that he hasn’t yet been selected as Senate Communications Subcommittee chairman for the next Congress despite filling in during a subpanel hearing last week (see 2412110067) for current ranking member John Thune, R-S.D. Current Communications Chairman Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico is hopeful but not certain that he will remain the subpanel’s lead Democrat next year. Rep. Brett Guthrie of Kentucky, who will be House Commerce Committee chairman in the next Congress, said he’s adding 10 current and incoming Republican lawmakers to the panel.
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Moran told us he was in an “acting role” on behalf of Thune during the Senate Communications hearing last week, despite saying during the panel that he had “a goal of working more closely with [Lujan] now and in the future and this is a nice way to start.” A decision about who will succeed Thune as lead Senate Communications Republican in the next Congress “haven’t been made” yet, Moran said. Thune is relinquishing the role to become majority leader.
Moran is fifth in seniority among Senate Commerce Republicans, with Armed Services Committee ranking member Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Rules Committee ranking member Deb Fischer of Nebraska having previously ruled themselves out of the running to lead Communications (see 2402290057). Senate Commerce ranking member Ted Cruz, R-Texas, previously indicated he would likely base subcommittee chairmanships on seniority if he became committee chairman.
Lujan told us after the hearing he hopes Moran will succeed Thune as lead Senate Communications Republican next year. Lujan hopes he will stay on as lead subcommittee Democrat but cautioned “people move around and seniority jumps” frequently from one Congress to the next. “You just never know” until after Senate leaders set committee rosters, he said.
Communications sector lobbyists we interviewed mentioned Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., as the leading contender to become House Communications Subcommittee chairman. Hudson would replace Chairman Bob Latta of Ohio, who is term-limited from holding the job in the next Congress. Current ranking member Doris Matsui, D-Calif., is likely to remain in that role. Hudson’s office didn’t immediately comment.
Lobbyists said Hudson, who previously considered a run against Guthrie and Latta for House Commerce chair, wants to lead a subpanel in the next Congress and sees Communications as the best fit given three Republicans are vying to head the Health Subcommittee. Hudson was a Communications member during the last Congress but moved off in 2023. He is a Next-Generation 911 Caucus co-chair and last year championed allocating $14.8 billion in future FCC auction proceeds to pay for NG-911 tech upgrades (see 2305240069) as part of House Commerce’s Spectrum Auction Reauthorization Act (HR-3565).
Guthrie made a rare move to offer a trio of incoming House GOP freshmen Commerce seats: Gabe Evans of Colorado, Julie Fedorchak of North Dakota and Craig Goldman of Texas. Seven current Republicans will also be joining: Cliff Bentz of Oregon; Russell Fry of South Carolina; Erin Houchin of Indiana; Tom Kean of New Jersey; Nick Langworthy of New York; Laurel Lee of Florida; and Mike Rulli of Ohio. In addition, Guthrie named Megan Jackson, his office’s deputy chief of staff, as House Commerce staff director. Sophie Khanahmadi, Guthrie's office chief of staff, was named panel deputy staff director.