By Bianca Quilantan

A Rep. Tim Walberg-led committee would prioritize strengthening the relationship between education and the workforce. | Courtesy of Tim Walberg

THE REPUBLICAN RACE FOR HOUSE ED AND WORKFORCE — Nearly two years ago, Rep. Tim Walberg lost his bid to lead the House Education and the Workforce Committee to Rep. Virginia Foxx, who won a rare party waiver to wield the gavel once more. 

— “Was that stupid or what?” Walberg joked about his last run for the top job in an interview. But he plans to try again — and this time, he says his experience and tenure of more than a decade on the committee could give him the edge against his newest challenger: Rep. Burgess Owens.

— Walberg hasn’t exactly been a notable firebrand on the committee. Compared with the more dominant personalities of Foxx and Rep. Elise Stefanik, Walberg has been firm, but measured in his approach. (Though he did appear next to both lawmakers in a “Saturday Night Live” spoof of the December antisemitism hearing.)

— But the dean of the Michigan delegation does tout his designation as the state’s most conservative member of Congress, while emphasizing that he can be bipartisan and effective.

A key example: He lauds his relationship with former President Donald Trump (who he has a picture next to on Air Force One in his office) but also says he’s “good friends” with Rep. Bobby Scott, the top Democrat on the panel.

“I think we can work together well, but I certainly would rather have him as my ranking member,” Walberg said, adding that he’s banking on Republicans taking the majority in the House.

— While Foxx’s focus was heavily on education under her gavel, a Walberg-led committee would emphasize strengthening the relationship between education and work. He credits his priorities to his background. Walberg grew up in Chicago’s south side with a mother who worked as a teacher and a father who was a machinist, steelworker and briefly a union organizer. He also worked as a union steelworker to help pay his way through college and later served on the Michigan statehouse’s education committee.

— Walberg wants to bolster school choice, make college more affordable, boost apprenticeships and internships, pass a bipartisan short-term Pell Grant bill for workforce training programs and reauthorize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, which governs workforce development programs.

“I've always felt that education is primarily for one purpose: to get people prepared for a job,” he told your host and POLITICO’s Nick Niedzwiadek. “If we don't have a good workforce, we don't have a strong country.”

Note: Keep an eye out for our interview with Rep. Burgess Owens this week.

IT’S MONDAY, OCT. 21. WELCOME TO WEEKLY EDUCATION. Let’s grab coffee. Drop me a line at bquilantan@politico.com. Send tips to my colleagues Rebecca Carballo at rcarballo@politico.com, Mackenzie Wilkes at mwilkes@politico.com and Juan Perez Jr. at jperez@politico.com. And follow us: @Morning_Edu and @POLITICOPro.

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Rep. Tim Walberg comes home from his job at U.S. Steel in 1969. | Courtesy of Tim Walberg

WALBERG’s PRIORITIES — Here’s a snippet of our POLITICO Pro interview with Walberg about why he believes he is best suited for the job. Read the full interview for Pros.

On how he’s making his case to the Republican Steering Committee: 

WALBERG: We're trying to show the credibility of experience, courage and capability. I am the longest-serving member going for this position now. I've been on 16 years. My entire tenure in Congress has been on that committee. I've fought to stay on the committee for four terms running now.

I'd love to be the chairman that finally brings the Education and Workforce Committee into the minds and thoughts of people — whether they want it to be or not.

On his top priorities for the next Congress:

WALBERG: Educate the workforce. Work with the Department of Labor to promote them and push for them to be a partner with business and industry and with the employees as well … We want to find mechanisms to reduce the cost to students, so ultimately the student loan debts go down.

I want to get the government out of paying off student loan debts, but making competition essential to education to the point that there's more opportunities.

On who he thinks could make a good Trump education secretary:

WALBERG: I want someone who has a passion for education, understands the need for competition and choice in education, and is willing to downsize the Department of Education.

I think Betsy DeVos was a great secretary of education. The amount of demonstrations she had to go through, the amount of locked doors that had to be put behind her, the amount of spit she took, I think she was doing the right thing.

Howard University held its 100th anniversary homecoming celebration over the weekend. | AFP via Getty Images

HARRIS SKIPS HOWARD HOMECOMING — Vice President Kamala Harris did not attend Howard University’s 100th homecoming anniversary as she focused on rallying support in the swing states of Georgia and Michigan on Saturday. But the Howard alumna did send The Hilltop, the school’s student newspaper, an exclusive letter to commemorate the event.

— Harris sent her “best wishes for a wonderful homecoming celebration.” And her letter emphasized that she and President Joe Biden “remain steadfast in our commitment to supporting HBCUs.”

— She highlighted the administration’s efforts to boost the Pell Grant, forgive student loan debt and secure billions in funding for HBCUs. “We know more needs to be done, and we look forward to continuing to work alongside you as we build a brighter future for all,” Harris wrote.

TRUMP VS. HARRIS CABINET POSSIBILITIES — If Harris wins the election, she’ll likely approach the task of filling out her Cabinet and West Wing much like she did when she took over Joe Biden's campaign operation this summer.

And while former President Donald Trump has not engaged in formal conversations about a potential Cabinet, he has been spitballing potential contenders on his way to campaign events or when he is impressed by one of his allies on television.

— Harris will ensure her closest advisers and key Cabinet members are people she personally trusts, but there will be some continuity with the current administration, according to people familiar with ongoing conversations about the transition process.

She has also tasked Yohannes Abraham, who led the Biden-Harris transition four years ago, with guiding hers. Check out POLITICO’s snapshot of the leading contenders for Harris’ top jobs.

— Meanwhile, Trump is also prioritizing loyalty. His transition operation is compiling lists of names of people to keep out of a second Trump administration — especially if they have any ties to the Heritage Foundation’s conservative policy blueprint known as Project 2025.

Trump’s potential second-term picks will also likely have to get through tight Senate margins, even if Republicans take back the majority. Check out POLITICO’s snapshot of the leading contenders for Trump’s top jobs.

Any thoughts on who is being considered for Education Secretary under Trump or Harris? Drop me a line: bquilantan@politico.com 

FACT CHECK: TRUMP’s ANTI-TRANS AD — Were you watching TV this weekend? Well, your host was watching the Georgia vs. Texas game on Saturday night when the former president’s latest ad attacking Harris on her stances on transgender issues popped up.

The campaign has spent more than $2 million on the ad, which boasts roughly 73.8 million impressions, including millions in swing states like Georgia and Michigan.

— The 29-second ad largely focused on Harris’ stance on gender-affirming care — but it quickly flashed a line from a January 2021 POLITICO article to make the claim that Harris “allows transgender athletes to compete in girls sports.”

— Fact check: That line was taken out of context. Here’s the article referenced, which is about state bills aiming to restrict transgender student participation in athletics.

The ad pulled the line from this caption on the story’s photo: “Danbury High School student Alanna Smith speaks during a news conference at the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford, Conn. She is among three girls suing to block a state policy that allows transgender athletes to compete in girls sports.”

GENDER-AFFIRMING CARE CASE SET FOR DECEMBER — The Supreme Court last week scheduled oral arguments in U.S. v. Skrmetti, a high-profile lawsuit brought by transgender youth and their families against a Tennessee law that bans gender-affirming care for transgender patients under the age of 18.

— Three transgender teenagers and their parents challenged the law in federal court, prompting the Biden administration to step in. The families and the administration argue that the law violates the Equal Protection Clause.

— Varsity Blues mastermind is out of prison — and wants to help get your kid into college: The Wall Street Journal

— Five races for the Republican-dominated State Board of Education to watch this year: The Texas Tribune

— Md. Democratic Party will spend thousands to target ‘extremist’ school board candidates: WTOP

— In Helene-battered towns, many schools are still closed. What that means for recovery.: The Washington Post

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Delece Smith-Barrow @DeleceWrites Rebecca Carballo @Becca_Carballo Bianca Quilantan @biancaquilan Juan Perez Jr. @PerezJr Mackenzie Wilkes @macwilkes

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