Roger Wicker in line to chair Senate Armed Services if Republicans retake majority

Wicker is currently the #2 GOP member on that committee. The ranking member, Senator James Inhofe, announced this week that he would be retiring.

U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) looks to be in line to take the gavel of the Senate Armed Services Committee if Republicans retake the US Senate in the upcoming 2022 elections.

Wicker is currently the #2 GOP member on that committee.  The ranking member, Senator James Inhofe, announced this week that he would be retiring.  Wicker is currently the ranking member and former chair of the Commerce Committee.

“This is a really big deal potentially for Mississippi if Republicans can do what they need to do in the November elections,” said former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant.

Bryant is the founder of Bryant Songy Snell Global Partners which is a public affairs firm based in the Jackson area.

“The military means so much to the economy in our state,” Bryant said. “With companies like Ingalls and Raytheon in Mississippi, having Senator Wicker’s leadership in that role would have a huge impact on our state.”

If Wicker ascends to chair Armed Services, he would not be the first Mississippi Senator to hold that position.  Senator John Stennis of Mississippi held that chair in the mid-late 1970s.  His tenure in that committee cast a lasting impact on Mississippi, particularly South Mississippi.

Currently, Republicans hold 50 seats and would need to net just 1 seat in the November elections to assume control of the U.S. Senate.  RealClearPolitics currently has the November Senate projections at 47R/46D with 7 “Toss up seats”.