Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) will remain chairman of the Republican Steering Committee in the next session of Congress, a position that he has used over the last two years to agitate for conservative positions on a host of hot-button issues, including immigration and earmark reform, his office announced Thursday.

In a statement released by his office, DeMint said the Steering Committee will continue its role as the home for conservative lawmakers and will do battle with President-elect Obama and the Senate Democratic leadership.

“Now that liberals have gained ground in Congress and at the White House, it will be more important than ever for conservatives to stand strong for common sense values and fight against efforts to reduce liberty. Liberals have vowed to raise taxes, explode spending, slash military funding, eliminate the secret ballot at the workplace, give government control over our health care, and attack our values of protecting life and traditional marriage,” DeMint said.

DeMint also used the announcement to take a swipe at his own leadership, which he has often found himself at odds with and has been increasingly critical of in the wake of Tuesday’s elections. Senate Republicans lost at least six seats in the balloting.

“The Steering Committee has always been a backstop against these failed liberal policies when other Republicans refuse to lead, and we will work aggressively again to protect the principles of freedom our nation was founded on,” DeMint said.