Many of the House Republicans who were on the powerful Ways and Means Committee when the GOP passed its tax-cut law last year will not be returning to Congress in 2019.
Half of the 24 Republicans who served in 2017 on the Ways and Means panel — which has jurisdiction over health and trade issues in addition to taxes — will not be back in the House next year, according to election results as of 10 a.m. Wednesday
{mosads}Four GOP members of the committee are projected to lose their races: Reps. Peter Roskam (Ill.), Erik Paulsen (Minn.), Carlos Curbelo (Fla.) and Mike Bishop (Mich.). Roskam, Paulsen and Curbelo represent districts that Hillary Clinton won in 2016, while Bishop’s district went for President Trump by single digits.
Roskam was chairman of the Ways and Means tax-policy subcommittee in 2017 and is currently chairman of the health subcommittee, and Paulsen leads the Joint Economic Committee. Both represent affluent suburban districts where many residents claim the state and local tax deduction, which was limited under the tax law.
Eight other Republicans who served on Ways and Means during the 2017 tax debate did not seek reelection to the House.
Reps. Sam Johnson (Texas), Dave Reichert (Wash.) and Lynn Jenkins (Kan.) are retiring, and Reps. Kristi Noem (S.D.), Diane Black (Tenn.) and Jim Renacci (Ohio) ran for other offices. Former Reps. Pat Tiberi (Ohio) and Pat Meehan (Pa.) served on the committee last year but left Congress earlier in 2018.
Some Republicans on the Ways and Means Committee in competitive races, including Reps. Vern Buchanan (Fla.) and Jackie Walorski (Ind.), are projected to keep their seats, as has Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (Texas), who represents a deep red district.
Updated at 10:15 a.m. Wednesday