Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is considering a bid to become the top Republican on the Senate health committee in January, a move that would put the libertarian Kentucky lawmaker next to the upper chamber’s leading socialist.
Paul chairs the Senate’s Homeland Security committee, but he is set to be demoted to ranking member, or the panel’s top Republican, in the next Congress after Democrats seized the majority in the midterm elections.
After the loss, Paul, a doctor, told Semafor on Monday that he’s weighing a move to the health panel, where he would clash with the incoming committee chairman, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), on the socialist’s push for universal healthcare through Medicare for All.
“There’s probably not a better spot to be in Congress to oppose socialism than to be opposed to the No. 1 socialist in the Senate,” Paul said of his possible bid to become the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee’s ranking member.
“I’ve had interesting debates with Senator [Bernie] Sanders through the years, and whether I take seniority or not, it’ll be an interesting debate to have,” he continued.
Paul hasn’t made a final decision on making a bid to become the health committee’s top GOP leader.
A Republican spot on the panel is expected to be open after Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) announced her intention to leave it for the Senate Appropriations Committee.
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If Paul does leave the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee to join the health panel, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) has indicated he would be interested in taking the Kentucky lawmaker’s spot as top Republican on the committee if more senior lawmakers pass on the role.
“I want them to make their decisions, I don’t want to pressure them in any way,” Hawley told the outlet.