Touting his more aggressive and partisan approach, two senior Republicans on the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are throwing their support behind Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) in his bid for the panel’s ranking member job.

Reps. Dan Burton (R-Ind.), the former chairman and senior returning Member, and John Mica (R-Fla.), the third-ranking returning Member, endorsed Issa in a letter to their colleagues Wednesday.

“This committee can be an effective tool in helping Republicans retake the majority, and Darrell Issa is the most able to represent our conference,” they wrote.

They praised Issa for taking a less conciliatory and more hard-line approach than retiring ranking member Tom Davis (R-Va.), a moderate. “He has never shied away from issues nor for standing up for the positions and ideals of our conference,” they said.

Issa’s bid is helped immensely because of the defeat of moderate Rep. Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), who had long sought the top position on the committee.