Rand Paul chooses ranking member slot at Senate HELP

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., leaves the Senate Republicans’ lunch in the Capitol on Tuesday. (Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call) By Paul M. Krawzak Posted November 11, 2026 at 4:53pm Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., announced Wednesday he plans to serve as the top Republican on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee when Democrats take control of Congress next year. The move clears the way for Senate Ethics Chairman James Lankford, R-Okla., to use his seniority to ascend to ranking Republican on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which Paul currently chairs, and touches off several other shifts at the top of other committees. The move fit in with Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s bid to use her seniority to succeed Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins, R-Maine, as top Republican on the Appropriations panel. If Paul did not go to the top spot on HELP, Murkowski, R-Alaska, would be next in line for that committee in the next Congress.

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