Rep. John Ratcliffe is on the Trump administration's short list of candidates for United States attorney general, according to news reports.
Ratcliffe, a former U.S. attorney, is under consideration to be appointed the nation's chief law enforcement officer, Politico and NBC News have reported. Both reports cite anonymous sources familiar with White House deliberations.
Ratcliffe, R-Heath, represents Texas' 4th Congressional District, which comprises several Northeast Texas counties including Bowie County. His office did not respond to a request for comment Monday.
Politico first named Ratcliffe as a potential appointee in a story published Oct. 28. The story speculated about changes in President Donald Trump's cabinet after the Nov. 6 election, anticipating the removal of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Trump requested Sessions' resignation and appointed Matthew Whitaker as acting attorney general on Nov. 7.
In a report published Saturday, NBC News named Ratcliffe among other contenders for the position such as retiring Rep. Trey Gowdy, Sen. Lindsey Graham and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
In recent months, Ratcliffe has publicly criticized the investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, who is looking into the Trump campaign's possible cooperation with Russia's meddling in the 2016 election.
As attorney general, Sessions recused himself from overseeing the Mueller investigation because he had been involved with the campaign, creating a conflict of interest. The recusal caused a rift with Trump and eventually led to Sessions' ouster.
If appointed attorney general, Ratcliffe almost certainly will be questioned during Senate confirmation hearings about his positions on the investigation and whether to protect it from White House interference.
Ratcliffe's previous experience in the Department of Justice began with a 2004 appointment by President George W. Bush, who named him Chief of Anti-Terrorism and National Security for the Eastern District of Texas. In 2007, he was appointed U.S. attorney for the same district. U.S. attorneys serve as federal prosecutors and otherwise represent the federal government in court.
He first was elected to the House of Representatives in 2014 and won re-election in 2016 and last week. He serves on the Judiciary Committee, Homeland Security Committee and Ethics Committee. He is also chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity and was named to the Task Force on Combating Terrorist and Foreign Fighter Travel.
Ratcliffe is a graduate of Notre Dame University and Dedman Law School at Southern Methodist University. He is married and has two daughters.
By Texas law, if Ratcliffe resigns his House seat, it will remain vacant until a special election determines his successor.