US Congressman Jack Kingston told his GOP colleagues this week that he believes he has what it takes to fill a key leadership role.

Kingston is angling to be Georgia's most powerful House member since Newt Gingrich.

Kingston is running to be House Appropriations Committee Chairman.

That's a position with enormous clout over the entire federal budget.

Kingston is running against two more senior House members widely seen as having more loyalty to the GOP leadership.

The Savannah Republican says, that makes him well-suited to cut the federal budget.

"I'm fighting a situation where the leadership might want somebody who's a little bit more obedient and less independent. But I feel my liability is also my strength," Kingston says. "It's good to have differing opinions. Ultimately, I'm going to play on the team and that team has a job that's called cutting the spending."

The Wall Street Journal and the conservative Club for Growth have endorsed Kingston.

The others running are Congressmen Jerry Lewis of California and Hal Rogers of Kentucky.

House Republicans are expected to decide their leaders next week.

Tags: Republican, budget, Savannah, U.S. House of Representatives, California, Jack Kingston, Kentucky, Appropriations Committee, appropriations, GPB News, House Appropriations Chair, federal spending, Jerry Lewis, Hal Rogers