Even though leadership officials snubbed him less than a year ago, ousted House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Chris Smith (R-N.J.) wants another chance at a gavel.

Smith has quietly mounted a campaign to succeed Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.) at the head of the International Relations Committee after Hyde retires at the end of this session. Though Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) is considered the front-runner and centrist Rep. Jim Leach (R-Iowa) is more senior, Smith and his allies on the Hill hope the ongoing flap that got him bounced from Veterans’ Affairs gets him back in leadership’s good graces.

"I would hope, within my caucus, that people remember (a) I am extra-loyal to my party and (b) I am extra-loyal to the people we serve, who have served us in war," Smith said.

During his four years as chairman, Smith often lamented what he believed were deficiencies in the yearly veterans’ affairs budget, particularly for healthcare. Leaders grew uncomfortable with his cries for more spending and replaced him earlier this year with a new chairman, Rep. Steve Buyer (R-Ind.).

Smith’s fortunes took a turn for the better this summer, when the Department of Veterans Affairs revealed an embarrassing budget shortfall that administration officials said was unforeseen. The missing money was nearly the exact amount requested by Smith before his departure from the panel.

"The budget [controversy] proved that we were right … That should count for something. I never sought attention" after being removed as chairman, Smith said. "I didn’t run out and do press conferences."

Smith began circulating a letter of support to colleagues months after Hyde announced his retirement, wanting to avoid the appearance of publicly capitalizing. The letter notes his 22 years on International Relations, where he holds the vice chairman’s post and heads the subcommittee on Africa and global human rights.

Smith said his workaholic schedule on the subcommittee, where he has held more than 30 hearings in nine months, is a way "to manage my disappointment" over losing the Veterans’ Affairs gavel.

"What I did was turn it right over into my International Relations Committee business," he said.

Smith has snagged an unlikely supporter in conservative commentator Robert Novak, who cast the lawmaker as a budget Cassandra in a July column, adding that "Smith would be the conference’s most likely choice for the International Relations Committee chairmanship."

But the crowded field of aspirants to Hyde’s post means that Smith has his work cut out for him. Leadership favorite Ros-Lehtinen has already met with most members of the Republican Steering Committee, according to spokesman Alex Cruz.

Ros-Lehtinen’s letter of support, accompanied by a litany of endorsements from foreign-policy lobbying groups including the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee, states: "Since 1995, with the House under Republican control … I have driven the agenda on issues, at times, before they became areas of interest or priority items."

Also scrapping for the chairmanship is Leach, who was passed over for Hyde in 2001 and is not actively campaigning — for now.

"There is the expectation that he might be considered, among many of the others," Leach spokesman Michael Borden said. Leach’s support for abortion rights, a potentially explosive element in many foreign-aid debates, could prompt the Steering Committee again to look elsewhere.

Reps. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) and Ed Royce (R-Calif.) also have joined the race. Burton said he has not begun circulating an official letter of support, and Royce’s office did not return calls for comment by press time.

Hyde said he was unaware of any contenders for his chairmanship apart from Burton and Ros-Lehtinen. Informed of his vice chairman’s bid, Hyde said Smith’s willingness to buck the GOP would not necessarily kill his candidacy.

"Chris has been an independent member of Congress, which is really to his credit. He votes his district and his conscience, and that’s something that doesn’t always harmonize with party strategy," Hyde said. "But the choice will be made by the Steering Committee [in 2007] … and we don’t know who those people are yet."

Hyde has opted to stay out of the race, stating that any of the hopefuls would be qualified to replace him.