House Minority Whip Steve Scalise announced his bid to become House majority leader in a letter to Republican colleagues on Wednesday.
The announcement comes one day after the midterm elections were held, and the balance of power in both the House of Representatives and the Senate have not been determined.
In the letter, Scalise pledges to advance a conservative agenda in the House.
“With this bold, conservative agenda in mind, I am asking for your support to be the next House Majority Leader,” Scalise wrote. “The American people deserve a House of Representatives that can move the agenda that was promised to them on the campaign trail. 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.”
STEVE SCALISE PLEDGES SUPPORT FOR KEVIN MCCARTHY AS HOUSE SPEAKER IF GOP FLIPS CHAMBER: ‘HE’LL WIN’
Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., delivers remarks during a Republican-led forum on the origins of the COVID-19 virus at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on June 29, 2021. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Scalise also said in the announcement that if he’s House majority leader, he’ll work to hold President Biden accountable.
“We must be relentless in our oversight of this Administration. From the politicization of the Justice Department to the job crushing regulations coming from every agency, we need to shine a bright light on the actions and policy failures of this administration. I will work with committee chairs to ensure that everybody in the Biden Administration is on notice that we will be holding them accountable for their actions,” Scalise wrote.
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House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., speaks during a news conference with other House Republican leadership in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 17, 2020. (Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Scalise told Fox News on Wednesday that he’ll fully support House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy to become speaker if Republicans retake the House.
“We’re going to have our elections next week. I’m supporting Kevin McCarthy for speaker, and he’ll win that race,” Scalise said. “And ultimately, you’ve seen us pull together these last few months and focus on the attack against big government socialism. What they’ve done to our country and our economy is what’s united not only Republicans. But again, we’ve already won in a number of places Republicans haven’t won in decades.”
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House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
When pressed by John Roberts on “America Reports” about any plan to run for House speaker, Scalise said, “I’m supporting Kevin.”
“I’ve said it very clearly… and again, I think Kevin’s going to win next week, and we’re going to be talking about getting to work,” Scalise said. “I know a lot of people like to focus on all of the drama in Washington. We’re going to get to work for the hard-working families who gave us this majority.”
Fox News’ Yael Halon contributed to this report.