The embattled ranking member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee lost her re-election bid on Tuesday, guaranteeing a dramatic shake-up for the veterans' policy panel in 2017.



Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Fla., finished more than 7,000 votes behind Florida state Sen. Al Lawson in a three-way Democratic primary contest to represent Florida's newly redrawn 5th congressional district.



In July, Brown was forced to step down from her leadership post on the veterans committee after being indicted in an alleged charity fraud scheme. Federal prosecutors have accused her of using a charity organization, One Door for Education Foundation Inc., as a personal slush fund for herself and friends instead of providing scholarships to low-income students.



Brown had faced a difficult re-election bid even before the indictment, due to redistricting which left the 12-term incumbent congresswoman searching for votes in new areas of northern Florida.





She is just the fifth sitting member of Congress to lose a primary bid this year, but the second from the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Earlier in August, Kansas Republican Tim Huelskamp, a vocal member of the panel, lost his GOP primary fight.

The results mean a significant change in committee operations next year, especially since committee chairman Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., opted not to seek re-election to Congress.

Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., has served as interim ranking member since Brown’s indictment. Days later, Rep. Tim Walz, D-Minn. -- the highest ranking enlisted soldier to serve in Congress -- began lobbying his colleagues to assume that post next session.

No Republicans have begun publicly lobbying to replace Miller.

Lawmakers from the committee return to Capitol Hill next week with a long list of veterans issues to tackle before the end of the year, including benefits appeals reform proposals supported by the Department of Veterans Affairs and new accountability legislation pending in the House and the Senate.

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Whether the lame duck status of the top two committee members helps or hurts progress on those issues remains to be seen. Follow @LeoShane

Leo Shane III covers Congress, Veterans Affairs and the White House for Military Times. He can be reached at lshane@militarytimes.com.