In gratitude for her help, new U.S. House Majority Whip-elect Steve Scalise, R-La, has named U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Ballwin, to his “senior deputy whip team.”
Wagner is among five members of the U.S. House – two women and three men – named to the team. They will serve under U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., who was chosen by Scalise to be his chief deputy whip.
The job of the deputy and his team will be to help Scalise round up the votes for bills backed by the Republican leadership.
Wagner and her fellow team members had been among those who had lobbied in favor of Scalise’s election in last week's contested GOP contest to choose a new House whip. That election, conducted within the House caucus, was part of the leadership reshuffling prompted by the recent primary loss of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va.
Referring to Wagner, Scalise said in a statement:
“It is an honor to appoint my colleague Congresswoman Ann Wagner to the Senior Deputy Whip Team. She brings to the team her strong commitment to public service as a former U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg and her invaluable experience as a leader in the private sector. I look forward to working with her to unite the Republican Conference and move America forward.“
Speaking of the five-member deputy team and McHenry, Scalise said, “The Senior Deputy Whip Team will ensure that the voices, interests and values of every member are represented at the table. I will work relentlessly with our team to unite our conference and grow the vote. Together we will work to solve our nation’s problems for the American people.”