Harris did not believe he would ever lead the conservative caucus. Now, he’s at the helm as Republicans prepare for the Trump presidency.
WASHINGTON—Andy Harris visited Washington at the age of 14, and, upon seeing the Capitol, envisioned working there someday.
That dream has become a reality. At 53, Harris became a member of the House of Representatives from Maryland’s 1st district.
He is now also the chairman of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, which will have significant influence in the lower congressional chamber. The GOP will have a narrow majority come January, along with control of the Senate and White House, as the party looks to implement President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda.
Harris was elected as caucus chairman in September, succeeding Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), who lost his reelection primary earlier this year.
In a Nov. 20 interview with The Epoch Times in his office with a view of the Capitol dome, Harris said he did not believe he would ever lead the caucus.
Influence Without Dysfunction
The membership in the Freedom Caucus is not publicly disclosed, though there are members who have identified themselves as such.
The Freedom Caucus is known for sometimes being a thorn in the side of the wider House GOP, especially its leadership, but Harris said he’s taking a more conciliatory approach, especially with Trump in the White House.
“I think we will have an influence in the narrow majority,” said Harris.
Members of the Freedom Caucus resisted former Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s (R-Calif.) leadership as Speaker of the House. Some members ultimately backed him after getting significant concessions from McCarthy, who won the gavel after 15 rounds of voting in January 2023.
Harris doesn’t expect a repeat episode when it comes to whether Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) remains second-in-line to the presidency.
“He’s delivering on what he said he was going to deliver,” Harris said. “And I think that if he continues to deliver on that, that it won’t be an issue.”
These promises, said Harris, include not putting forth an omnibus budget bill.
Harris said he plans to support Johnson for speaker and has a good working relationship with him.
“We’re fellow conservatives. We believe in a lot of the same things,” he said. “And he’s always been receptive to my input and welcomes the input.”
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