Agriculture lost decades of experience in the defeat of House Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson (D-MN).
Peterson lost his race Tuesday to the Republican Challenger Michelle Fischbach, garnering 53 percent to Peterson’s 39 percent of votes in Minnesota’s District 7.
“We ran a strong and positive campaign, but with the President winning this district by 30 points again, and the millions in outside money that was spent to attack me, the partisan tilt of this district was just too much to overcome,” said Peterson in a statement.
Peterson has led Democrats on the committee for the last three farm bills. Based on seniority, Democratic Representative’s Jim Costa of California, David Scott of Georgia, or Marcia Fudge of Ohio, could become the next House Agriculture Committee Chair.
Fischbach’s campaign has indicated she would seek a seat on the committee. Democrats retained control of the House but did lose a few seats, thinning the majority margin.
The senate Ag Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) has been replaced by Republican Roger Marshall. Like Fischbach, Marshall also won the seat with 53 percent of the vote.
Roberts has served Kansas since 1981, starting in the House of Representatives. He has also served on both Committees of Agriculture.
Marshall is a member of the House Ag Committee, serving on the Commodity Exchanges, Energy and Credit, and the Livestock and Foreign Agriculture subcommittees. Marshall has represented the First District of Kansas since 2017.
