Louisiana's Clay Higgins' national profile rises as MAGA favorite, impeachment prosecutor

Acadiana Congressman Clay Higgins continued his rise as a MAGA favorite this week after being appointed as one of the prosecutors in the upcoming Senate impeachment trail for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

Higgins has long been a darling among the most ardent faction of the expanding Trump wing of the Republican Party, but the Lafayette Republican's profile has widened since becoming chairman of the Border Security Subcommittee on the House Homeland Security Committee.

He's has amplified his position as a leading critic of Democratic President Joe Biden's handling of the U.S. southern border crisis, which has become a flashpoint among all voters.

Higgins has described Biden's border policies as "treasonous" and was on the front line in leading the effort to impeach Mayorkas.

And now Higgins will be one of 11 Republican House prosecutors, officially called "impeachment managers," at the Senate trial next month.

The Senate, which has a narrow Democratic majority, is unlikely to convict Mayorkas. It would take 67 votes.

The House voted 214-213 Monday night to impeach Mayokas after a previous vote failed last week. Majority Leader Steve Scalise's return from cancer treatment this week gave the Republicans the margin it needed.

All of Louisiana's Republican members of the House in addition to Higgins and Scalise - Speaker Mike Johnson, Garret Graves and Julia Letlow - voted to impeach the secretary.

Louisiana's only Democratic member of Congress, Rep. Troy Carter of New Orleans, voted against impeachment.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, called the House impeachment a “sham” and said Republicans in the House were following Trump's orders. “The one and only reason for this impeachment is for Speaker Johnson to further appease Donald Trump,” Schumer said in a statement.

Last week Trump endorsed Higgins for a 5th term as Louisiana's 3rd Congressional District representative, calling him an "America First Warrior."

The Senate will convene for the impeachment trial after it returns to Washington Feb. 26.

The other 10 Republican House impeachment mangers include: Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia; Michael Guest of Mississippi; Mark Green of Tennessee; Mike McCaul of Texas; Andy Biggs of Arizona; Ben Cline of Virginia; Andrew Garbarino of New York; August Pfluger of Texas; Harriet Hageman of Wyoming; and Laurel Lee of Florida.

More: Donald Trump endorses Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins as 'America First Warrior'

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Clay Higgins finds spotlight as prosecutor in Mayorkas impeachment trial