Rep. Lisa McClain wins race to become next House Republican conference secretary
Juliegrace Brufke
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Freshman Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) prevailed in her race against Reps. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) and Glenn Grothman (R-WI) to become the next House Republican Conference secretary on Tuesday.
McClain’s victory will expand the number of women in the GOP leadership ranks, with House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) currently being the only woman in the group.
“I’m grateful to be the next conference secretary, and it’s an honor to have the support of my colleagues. We need to work as a team in this majority, and I am proud to have a seat at the leadership table as we move this country forward,” McClain tweeted following her win.
The role of conference secretary entails keeping notes of meetings and helping freshman members ease into their roles in Congress.
McClain told the Washington Examiner in an interview earlier this month that she is looking forward to working with incoming lawmakers and helping them get adjusted and touted how her business experience will help her succeed in the role.
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“I come from business, I’ve spent 35 years in business, so I’ve always been in a leadership position — I think that’s my strength. That’s my forte,” she said. “And really for me to bridge the gap between the incoming freshmen and leadership — we are better with information, so I think that’s key.”
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“I think we can do a lot with the secretary position — I think it’s bigger than just taking notes. I think what I want to see is really to fill the void between the caucus and the members and leadership,” she added. “So really, to have the caucus have a seat at the table, and then vice versa, right, and then be able to communicate that from the top down and the bottom up, that, I think, is critical, and I really am excited about that.”
McClain overwhelmingly secured the position, winning the race on the first ballot, receiving 106 votes, followed by Clyde, who received 62 votes, then Grothman, who had the support of 38 members of the conference.