Rep. Andy Harris Elected Freedom Caucus Chair

(AP)

The House Freedom Caucus elected Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., as its new chair Tuesday.

He replaces Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., who lost his June primary and will leave office early next year. Good, whose term as chair was supposed to run through December 2025, announced last week he would resign rather than wait till the end of the year.

Harris is expected to serve as chair only through the end of this year, meaning the Freedom Caucus will have to choose another leader in the next few months.

The race for chair had come down to Harris and Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., but Biggs withdrew his name from consideration.

Harris, seen as a fiscal hawk, has served in the House since 2011. He’s also chair of an appropriations subcommittee.

The conservative Freedom Caucus was formed in 2015 and is composed of lawmakers who have since aligned closely with former President Donald Trump and his Capitol Hill allies. The Freedom Caucus was instrumental in the ouster last year of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and has acted as a thorn in the side of GOP leadership.

Freedom Caucus chair is seen as a springboard. Past chairs have gone on to be Trump’s Chief of Staff — Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C. — and chair of the House Judiciary Committee — Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.