Overcoming concerns that he's too moderate for the job, Rep. Fred Upton emerged Tuesday as the winner of a bitter internal Republican battle to lead the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee.

The Michigan Republican won the steering panel nod with critical support from Rep. John Boehner and a collection of senior and rank-and-file GOP lawmakers closely allied with the incoming House speaker.
The full GOP caucus must now ratify Upton’s selection Wednesday, but that is expected to be a formality as former Energy and Commerce Chairman Joe Barton (R-Texas) told POLITICO he will not challenge the steering committee’s decision.

Meanwhile, Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) will lead the Financial Services committee, which will tackle the Dodd-Frank act and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Reform. Bachus overcame a challenge from Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.), who's was plotting for months to oust Bachus and who got significant backing from conservative groups.

And Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Texas) fended off California Republican Dana Rohrabacher for the Science Committee gavel.

Upton is poised to run a panel with broad authority over the economy, from health care to energy and telecommunications. While campaigning for the job, the 12-term lawmaker appealed to conservatives nervous about his credentials by pledging to pursue repeal of key pieces of the new health care law and also closely scrutinize the Obama administration's climate change and energy policies.

“I look forward to standing shoulder to shoulder with Speaker Boehner, Leader Cantor, Whip McCarthy and the entire republican conference as we repeal Obamacare, fight rampant job killing regulations, cut spending and help put folks back to work,” Upton said in a statement.

Upton pledged to adopt new committee rules to “cut spending and restore fiscal responsibility.”

“The Obama administration is on notice – they will not be allowed to regulate what they have been unable to legislate,” he said.

Upton has already made his first major choice – picking Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) as chairman of the Health Subcommittee. “Together, we will protect the sanctity of life, ensuring early next Congress that no federal funds are used for abortion,” Upton said in a statement.

With his win, Upton navigated an internal GOP feud between the upstart tea party movement and the party's rank-and-file establishment. Conservative commentators Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck both called him a socialist on their programs because of his co-authorship of legislation banning the incandescent light bulb. Former House GOP Majority Leader Dick Armey's Freedom Works tea party campaign ran a 'Down With Upton' Internet petition campaign.

And Barton, who was previously on thin ice for famously apologizing to BP leadership during the Gulf of Mexico oil spill this summer, angered GOP leadership by allowing committee staff to circulate an internal memo pinpointing Upton’s moderate voting record.

A House Republican aide close to the process said that Upton ran a flawless monthlong campaign for the job while Barton cost himself valuable points with his behind-the-scenes attacks.

"Fred checked all the boxes," the staffer said.

Upton is expecting to begin meetings this week with committee members before making final choices on subcommittee leadership spots.

Sources say that Kentucky Rep. Ed Whitfield, who publicly took on Upton's critics early on in the debate, is likely to get first pick at leading the panel that deals with energy and environmental issues. Oregon Rep. Greg Walden, who took a leave of absence earlier this year from the Energy and Commerce Committee to work on leadership issues, most recently in spearheading the GOP transition, said he’s interested in taking on a key role on the telecommunications, oversight and energy panels.

Upton also must decide what to do with Barton, the most senior member of the committee and its most recent former GOP chairman and ranking member. Upton told reporters last week his relationship with the Texan turned sour during the internal battle, and whether they'll be able to mend fences hinges to some degree on whether Barton pushes for another vote this week. A possibility could be the investigations and oversight subpanel.

Several other internal committee decisions are in the air as well, including hiring a staff director to replace controversial Barton loyalist David Cavicke.

Upton also must decide whether he wants to slice and dice the subcommittee structures created two years ago when Democrat Henry Waxman took over as chairman. Waxman merged energy and environmental issues from two subcommittees into one.

Darren Goode, Simmi Aujla and Robin Bravender contributed to this report.

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