House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, says he wants Rep. Trey Gowdy to succeed incumbent GOP Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
"Trey Gowdy is the best person to unite our conference and articulate the Republican message," Rep. Jason Chaffetz said in an email to the Hill Tuesday. "He is widely trusted and beloved in our conference."
Gowdy is a much more polarizing figure than McCarthy, who's considered a moderate. He's a tea-party favorite, in part because of his outspoken attempts to bring Hillary Clinton to accountability for her role during the Benghazi attacks that left an American ambassador dead.
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Chaffetz said Gowdy is open to the idea.
"I actually think he'll do it if we get behind it and support it," he said in an interview on Fox News. "I think Trey Gowdy as the majority leader would be heaven sent."
Chaffetz isn't the only one supporting Gowdy.
"Join me in drafting Trey Gowdy for majority leader," tweeted Rep. Mia Love.