WASHINGTON -- Lawrenceville Republican U.S. Rep. Rob Woodall fell short today in his campaign to lead the Republican Policy Committee, the fifth ranking post in House GOP leadership.
Rep. Luke Messer, R-Ind., won the three-man race over Rep. Tom Reed, R-N.Y., on the second ballot. Woodall was knocked out in the first round.
With the top four leaders staying in place by voice vote, the policy committee post -- which was held by Rep. Tom Price, R-Roswell, from 2011-13 -- provided the biggest drama of the afternoon meeting of the House Republican conference.
"Luke is going to do a great job," Woodall said as he emerged from the meeting. "We sold a very different vision of what the policy committee was supposed to do and how we were supposed to do it. And I'm not disappointed I lost. I'm disappointed I didn’t sell the vision well enough to get folks on board."
What was his vision?
"I wanted the policy committee to be about consensus. I want it to be about selling what is a wonderful message. You saw it across the state of Georgia. If you believe your ideas are better, you ought to be talking about your ideas all the time. We get so insular up here. The policy committee gives us a chance to involve folks from the outside. The policy committee is an underutilized asset."
Republican Barry Loudermilk, of Cassville, also lost a bid to be the policy chair of the freshman class. Rep.-elect Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., won the vote.
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