Republican Steve Scalise Announces Post-Election Run for House Majority Leader

Republican Rep. Steve Scalise (LA), the current minority whip in the U.S. House of Representatives, announced Wednesday afternoon his bid to become Majority Leader as the post-election race for leadership positions begins.

“I am so proud to be a part of this House Republican team. Two years ago, we unified around a single goal – taking back the House. Through all the ups and downs, challenges, and adversity, we never lost sight of our target,” Scalise wrote in a letter on Wednesday, the day after the midterm elections, with many races still left uncalled across the country.

“We stayed relentlessly focused on the issues that matter most to the American people, and they responded by delivering us a House Republican Majority,” he continued. “Now it’s time for us to focus on delivering for the American people who have trusted us with such a great task.”

“Through your engagement on the various task forces, we were able to develop the bold, conservative agenda laid out in the Commitment to America. Now it is time to turn that Commitment into action,” the current House minority whip wrote in his letter, speaking directly to his colleagues in the House. “With this bold, conservative agenda in mind, I am asking for your support to be the next House Majority Leader.”

“The American people deserve a House of Representatives that can move the agenda that was promised to them on the campaign trail,” he further explained. “As your Majority Leader, I will work relentlessly to usher our vision through the House and show the country how conservative ideas can solve the problems that families are facing.”

Scalise then tore into the Democrats by stating that they “have caused serious damage to the House…and the country,” which is why he says the Republicans will “embark” on a “historic next chapter in the 118th Congress” to “empower committees and individual members to be able to fully participate in a Congress that works for the people who elected us.”

Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy (CA), the current minority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, announced on Wednesday that he intends to run to become Speaker of the House.

Jacob Bliss is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write to him at jbliss@breitbart.com or follow him on Twitter @JacobMBliss.