While his unlikely bid to topple an incumbent speaker of the House came up short, U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., has won some major assignments this month as he starts his third term in Congress.
Two years ago, Yoho offered a dark horse challenge to then U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio. While the North Florida Republican came up short, his efforts were not in vain. Eventually Boehner relinquished the gavel and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., took over.
Despite rocking the boat, Yoho continues to rise in the Republican ranks, especially in foreign policy. Earlier this month, Yoho was named vice chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee. On Thursday, Yoho won another plum assignment when he was named chairman of the U.S. House Asia and Pacific Subcommittee.
Yoho said he welcomes his new responsibilities, noting their increased importance as tensions rise with China over the South China Sea.
“I am honored to be named chairman of this important subcommittee and look forward to increasing our engagement within this vital region; after eight years of the past administration’s failed attempts to rebalance American influence in the Asia-Pacific region,” Yoho said. “I am excited for this opportunity to lead this subcommittee where trillions of dollars in annual shipping trade transits through the South China Sea. It is imperative to show our regional allies that we will stand with them especially when China has been laying claim to international water and creating uncertainty in trade routes throughout this part of the world.”
Yoho also thanked U.S. Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., who currently leads the Foreign Affairs Committee.
“Thank you to Chairman Royce for his leadership in staffing all the Foreign Affairs Subcommittees,” Yoho said. “We have a strong team of members on the committee and I am looking forward to advancing America’s foreign policy goals.”
A large animal veteran who worked in North Florida for more than three decades, Yoho pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the Sunshine State’s political history when he knocked off U.S. Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., who served twelve terms in Congress, in the Republican primary back in 2012.
