U.S. Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Kan., on Thursday called for Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to resign after her initial response to the Christmas Day bombing attempt.

“Secretary Napolitano’s job is to help protect our homeland — not defend the administration’s system of failure,” said Tiahrt, who represents the state’s 4th congressional district. “It is imperative that we have a secretary of Homeland Security who understands the reality of the global war on terror and who has the resolve to implement a strong and effective system that stops terrorists before they act.”

Several lawmakers have ridiculed Napolitano for saying two days after the incident that “the system worked” in response to the attempted bombing of a Northwest Airlines flight approaching Detroit.

Tiahrt is seeking the GOP nomination for Sam Brownback’s U.S. Senate seat. Brownback is running for governor.