Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy (CA), the current minority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, announced Wednesday afternoon his bid to become Speaker of the House as the post-election leadership race start.
“Over the past century, Republicans had flipped the House from Democrats just four times: 1946, 1952, 1994, and 2010. Only twice did that flip occur in four years or less,” McCarthy said in a lengthy letter to his colleagues before stating he is “running to serve as Speaker of the People’s House” and asking for support from his colleagues.
“While a number of races remain outstanding, I can confidently report that we will join that list, build on our significant gains from last cycle, and achieve our goal of taking back the House,” McCarthy wrote, adding:
This was the most expensive and arguably the most competitive House midterm in America’s history. Yet in a hard-fought contest, our message and our candidates prevailed, winning key seats across the country, some in districts that President Biden carried just two years ago by double digits—including the first incumbent Chair of the DCCC to be defeated in 42 years.
This is no small feat. We have ended one-party Democrat rule in Washington by effectively prosecuting the case against their failed policies while detailing our plan for a new direction with the Commitment to America. Even so, I trust you know that earning the majority is only the beginning. Now, we will be measured by what we do with our majority. Now, the real work begins.
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I am determined to ensure that this majority reaches its full potential. I will be a listener every bit as much as a Speaker, striving to build consensus from the bottom-up rather than commanding the agenda from the top-down. That means putting the right people in the right spots and harnessing the power of our entire conference. Everyone has something valuable to bring to the table and my door will always be open to your ideas and input on how we best achieve our shared goals.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Republican of California, speaks during a press conference on the impeachment process of President Donald Trump in the Rayburn Room of the US Capitol in Washington, DC on October 31, 2019. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
McCarthy’s announcement comes shortly after Republican Rep. Jim Banks (IN) announced his leadership bid to run for majority whip, officially being the first person to officially announce an intent for that post-election leadership race.
Jacob Bliss is a reporter for Breitbart News. Write to him at jbliss@breitbart.com or follow him on Twitter @JacobMBliss.
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