Oklahoma Republican announces run for Financial Services chair 

Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) will make a run for the House Financial Services Committee chair, his office announced Thursday.

A handful of Republicans have put their names in the running for the position since the current chair of the committee, Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.), announced he would be retiring at the end of his term next year. Lucas said in a statement that his 30 years of experience serving on the committee has prepared him to take on the role.

“Since Chairman McHenry’s announcement to retire late last year, I have been approached by several of my colleagues who have encouraged me to seek the Financial Services Committee Chairmanship,” he said.

“With 30 years of experience on the Financial Services Committee in addition to my more than two decades of Committee leadership experience across multiple House committees, I am well positioned and well equipped to lead the Committee.”

Other lawmakers in the running include Reps. French Hill (R-Ark.), Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.) and Andy Barr (R-Ky.).

Brooke Nethercott, communications director for Hill, said that he has been speaking with his colleagues about a potential run since McHenry announced his retirement earlier this year.

“Drawing on these conversations, as well as his four decades of public and private sector experience in financial services, Rep. Hill has decided he will seek the committee chairmanship,” she said in a statement.

PunchBowl News first reported that Hill will be running for the chair of the committee last month.

Huizenga’s office also confirmed to The Hill on Thursday that he will be seeking the position. 

Politico and Punchbowl reported in February that Barr would seek the position. The Hill has reached out to Barr’s office to confirm.

The House Financial Services Committee oversees issues relating to the economy and banking system. It also conducts oversight of some agencies including the Federal Reserve, Treasury and the Securities and Exchange Commission.

House Republicans typically select their committee chairs and ranking members weeks before a new Congress is sworn in to allow time for the incoming leaders to hire staff and get organized, though the selection of several contested chairs in the current Congress was delayed until January last year.