House Oversight Committee Chairman Jason Chaffetz Jason ChaffetzThe myth of the conservative bestseller Elijah Cummings, Democratic chairman and powerful Trump critic, dies at 68 House Oversight panel demands DeVos turn over personal email records MORE (R-Utah) is expected to announce Thursday that he will leave Congress by the end of June, according to a Politico report.

Chaffetz caught Washington by surprise last month when he announced his retirement despite being in only his third year as chairman of the powerful House Oversight Committee.

Under the House GOP’s rules limiting chairmen to three two-year terms, Chaffetz could have kept the Oversight gavel through 2020.

An early departure by Chaffetz would trigger a special election to replace him. Utah lawmakers are struggling to reach a consensus for how and when to schedule a special election.

ADVERTISEMENT

Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanAt indoor rally, Pence says election runs through Wisconsin Juan Williams: Breaking down the debates Peterson faces fight of his career in deep-red Minnesota district MORE (R-Wis.) said Thursday morning that he hadn't heard from Chaffetz about an early departure. A Chaffetz spokeswoman didn’t immediately return a request for comment.

Chaffetz said in his unexpected announcement last month that he wanted to return to the private sector, although he didn’t rule out a potential run for office in the future.

Washingtonian reported last week that Chaffetz has been telling fellow House Republicans that he will join Fox News, possibly as soon as July.

Chaffetz’s departure will set off a race among Republicans to replace him atop the influential panel.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who’s third in seniority on the Oversight Committee, could run again for the chairmanship after losing to Chaffetz in 2014. But he and several other of the longest-serving members of the committee are all members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, which has repeatedly clashed with GOP leaders.

Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), who chairs an Oversight subcommittee, pitched Jordan as the next chairman to The Hill on Thursday.

"Jim Jordan probably has meritoriously served and would deserve it based on merit," Meadows said.

Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-Tenn.), another member of the Oversight Committee in the Freedom Caucus, also made his preference clear. "My top choice would be Jim Jordan," he said.

But Jordan and other Freedom Caucus members could face difficulty convincing the House Steering Committee, which determines committee assignments; the panel is heavily controlled by GOP leaders and their allies.

One member of the Steering Committee pitched Rep. Trey Gowdy Harold (Trey) Watson GowdySunday shows preview: Election integrity dominates as Nov. 3 nears Tim Scott invokes Breonna Taylor, George Floyd in Trump convention speech Sunday shows preview: Republicans gear up for national convention, USPS debate continues in Washington MORE (R-S.C.) as the next Oversight Committee chairman, even though he's eighth in seniority.

Gowdy has proved himself to GOP leaders after chairing the committee that investigated the 2012 attack in Benghazi, Libya, which helped uncover Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham ClintonHillicon Valley: FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden | Treasury Dept. sanctions Iranian government-backed hackers The Hill's Campaign Report: Arizona shifts towards Biden | Biden prepares for drive-in town hall | New Biden ad targets Latino voters FBI chief says Russia is trying to interfere in election to undermine Biden MORE's use of a private email server while secretary of State.

The next Oversight chairman will inherit part of the politically charged investigation into Russia's interference in the U.S. presidential election.

On Tuesday, Chaffetz asked the FBI for documents regarding ousted Director James Comey's communications with President Trump. He's also asking Comey to appear before his committee next week, following The New York Times’s bombshell report that Trump pressured him to drop an investigation into former national security adviser Michael Flynn.

— This story was updated at 11:49 a.m. Scott Wong contributed.