So he's now ranking member, but has held the leadership position on the most powerful committee so he is more than just 'another bench warmer'. And, frankly, we now need Hunter in the White House to tell Skelton and the rest of them how it's going to be done.
Hunter's a good guy but the likelihood of his becoming the nominee, much less President, is about the same as for Kucinich on the Dem side. Unless the GOP rallies around one of the major candidates, Hillary! and her VP Obama will coast.