Florida has the second-largest delegation of Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives with 20 members.

But when leaders of the new GOP majority selected committee chairs, this week, none of the state's members secured leading roles.

What You Need To Know

  • None of Florida's Republican members of the House of Representatives secured key committee chairmanships this week

  • With 20 members, Florida has the second-largest GOP delegation in the House

  • Some Florida Republicans expressed surprise that no members in their delegation were chosen to lead any of the major standing committees

  • Committee chairs in Congress hold a lot of power in shaping legislation, determining what reaches the full chamber for a vote, and can also steer federal resources to their districts and states

Now that the GOP has gained control of the House, much of its success is, in part, through the election of 20 Republicans from Florida. 

Some Florida Republicans expressed surprise that no members in their delegation were chosen to lead any of the major standing committees. 

"Florida now has the second largest Republican delegation," Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla., told Spectrum News. "Nothing against the other people running in competitive races for these chairmanships, but look, Florida has a huge role in this delegation, and I think should have a greater role in the chairmanships.

"We'll continue to make that case," he pledged.

Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., a long-tenured member of the House Ways and Means Committee, ran for the chairmanship role, but lost to Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri. 

In a statement, Buchanan congratulated Smith and said he looks forward to working with him, while also expressing disdain for Florida's lack of leadership appointments. 

“This is a big loss for Florida which hasn’t had a committee chairman in five years despite being the fastest growing state with the second largest Republican delegation in the House," Buchanan wrote. "Florida deserves a seat at the leadership table."

The last Florida Republican to chair a major House panel was former Rep. Jeff Miller, who chaired the Veterans' Affairs Committee from 2011-2017.

Committee chairs in Congress hold a lot of power in shaping legislation, determining what reaches the full chamber for a vote, and can also steer federal resources to their districts and states. 

In the previous Congress, which Democrats controlled, Rep. Ted Deutch, who represented parts of South Florida, chaired the House Committee on Ethics until he left office in Sept. 2022. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla., also chaired the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis, which expired at the end of the last Congress.

Analysts say states can lose out by not having any committee chairs, but lawmakers can still provide representation as panel members.  

"A state like Florida with given its size and diversity, typically gets good representation on a lot of committees," said Casey Burgat, director of the Legislative Affairs program at the Graduate School of Political Management at The George Washington University. "But ... there aren't enough chairmanships to go around for every state, even every big state, to get one," 

"This is just one of those instances where Florida is kind of left out in that regard," he added.