U.S. House of Representatives
Elections 2010 In late 2009, Womack jumped into the race for the 3rd District after incumbent Representative
John Boozman announced that he would run for the
United States Senate. The 3rd is one of the most Republican districts in the South and the nation (Republicans have held it since 1967), and it was generally believed that whoever won the Republican primary would be the district's next representative. Womack ranked first in the seven-candidate primary with 31% of the vote. In the June runoff, he defeated
state Senator and fellow Rogers resident
Cecile Bledsoe, 52%–48%. In the general election, Womack defeated Democratic nominee David Whitaker, 72%–28%.
2012 Womack was originally set to face veteran Ken Aden in his reelection bid, but Aden withdrew from the race on July 8, after admitting to exaggerating his military record. As it was too late to select a replacement candidate for Aden (under Arkansas law, the
Democratic Party could only name a replacement at that date if the original candidate died, moved out of the district or opted to seek another office), Womack faced no major-party opposition in November. He was reelected with 76% of the vote, defeating Rebekah Kennedy (
Green Party of the United States, 16%) and David Pangrac (
Libertarian Party (United States), 8%).
2014 Thomas Brewer, a math teacher and minister, originally announced he was challenging Womack for the Republican nomination, and Troy Gittings, a high school English teacher and stand-up comedian, had announced he was running for the Democratic nomination. He was reelected with 79% of the vote to Brand's 21%.
2016 Womack again faced no Democratic candidate in the general election. He defeated Libertarian Steve Isaacson 77%–23%.
2018 Womack faced a Republican primary challenge from Robb Ryerse, a self-described "progressive Republican." He defeated Ryerse, 84%–16%. In the general election, Womack faced Democratic opposition for the first time as an incumbent. Womack defeated Josh Mahoney, president of the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund and former chairman of the Fayetteville Airport Commission, and
Libertarian Michael Kalagias, on election day, 65%–33%-2%, his smallest margin of victory to date.
2020 Womack did not face a challenge in the Republican primary, and he defeated the Democratic nominee, nurse practitioner Celeste Williams, and Kalagias, 64%–32%-4%.
2022 Womack won reelection against Democratic nominee, Lauren Mallett-Hays, and Kalagias, with 63.7% to 32.9% and 3.4%.
2024 Womack won renomination with 54% of the vote, defeating state senator
Clint Penzo in the Republican primary.
Tenure during the
state funeral of former President
George H. W. Bush in December 2018 In 2010, Womack signed a pledge sponsored by
Americans for Prosperity promising to vote against any global warming legislation that would raise taxes. Womack was a member of the House Appropriations Committee when in 2014 lawmakers inserted a prohibition into an appropriations bill that would prevent USDA staff from working on finishing regulations related to the
meat industry. In a 2015 episode of his show
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,
John Oliver criticized Womack for blocking the enforcement of laws proposed by the
Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration that were designed to protect chicken farmers from being threatened or punished by the companies they work for if they spoke out regarding their farming experiences. In 2015, Womack condemned the Supreme Court ruling in
Obergefell v. Hodges, which held that same-sex marriage bans violated the constitution. In December 2017, Womack voted for the
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. On November 30, Womack voted in favor of H.R. 550: Immunization Infrastructure Modernization Act of 2021. The bill creates a vaccine administration database. As of October 2021, Womack had voted in line with
Joe Biden's stated position 15% of the time. A staunch
Kevin McCarthy ally, Womack presided over the process to
remove McCarthy as Speaker, which he opposed.
Committee assignments For the
118th Congress: •
Committee on Appropriations •
Subcommittee on Defense •
Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government •
Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (Chair)
Caucus memberships •
United States Congressional International Conservation Caucus •
Republican Governance Group •
House Republican Conference •
Congressional Ukraine Caucus ==Political positions==