GOP Intelligence Hawks Lose House Seats in 2026
Several Republican members of national security committees were defeated in the 2026 midterm elections, with more races still uncalled.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Terrorism
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Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Scott Perry (R-PA), and Ann Wagner (R-MO) lost their races, and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence is set to lose three members after the 2026 elections. At least seven Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee also lost their general elections.
Why it matters
The losses remove experienced voices from intelligence and foreign policy panels just as debates over funding for Ukraine, aid for Israel, and the war in Iran are expected to dominate the next Congress. The departure of Fitzpatrick also leaves the intelligence community with one fewer key voice in renewing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
According to NBC News exit polling, 72% of voters called the war in Iran a crucial factor in their congressional votes, while Republicans are poised to lose more than 40 House seats. One Intelligence Committee race remains uncalled, and additional Foreign Affairs Committee outcomes are still pending.
The players
Brian Fitzpatrick
Republican congressman from Pennsylvania who served on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and lost his 2026 re-election race.
Scott Perry
Republican congressman from Pennsylvania who lost his 2026 re-election race.
Ann Wagner
Republican congresswoman from Missouri who lost her 2026 re-election race.
Dan Crenshaw
Republican congressman from Texas who lost his March 2026 primary.
Elise Stefanik
Republican congresswoman from New York who announced her retirement from the House.
The details
Republican losses include Reps. Ryan Mackenzie, Tom Kean Jr., Max Miller, James Gallagher, and Bill Huizenga, as well as Mike Turner, Rob Wittman, Jen Kiggans, Jeff Crank, and Derrick Van Orden. Discontent over the war in Iran was cited as a factor in the party's weak showing, and Dan Crenshaw lost his primary in March while Elise Stefanik announced her retirement.
Timeline
March 2026: Dan Crenshaw lost his Republican primary.
June 2026: The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act lapsed after Congress failed to extend it.
November 3, 2026: Midterm elections held, defeating several Republican committee members.
Big Picture
Like the committee turnover that followed the 2018 midterms, the 2026 losses reshape which House Republicans shape national security policy. The defeat of several Intelligence and Foreign Affairs members follows that same pattern of midterm disruption to committee expertise.
Surveillance authorities under FISA remain lapsed, and the next Congress will decide how those rules are renewed. Voters in the affected districts will see new representatives shaping intelligence oversight starting in January.
The takeaway
Committee expertise on intelligence and foreign affairs is shifting with the new Congress, which will shape how surveillance and national security policy are handled. Readers can track how the uncalled races resolve to see the final makeup of these panels.
What happens next
Congress is expected to take up renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and debates over Ukraine, Israel, and Iran funding in the next session.
Further reading
For related coverage, see Terrorism reporting on national security oversight.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Washington Examiner.
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