House Majority Leader and Metairie Republican Steve Scalise has announced his intention to run for Speaker of the House.
"You know the leadership style I've displayed as your Majority Leader and Whip," Scalise said in a letter to his House colleagues. "I have a proven track record of bringing together the diverse array of viewpoints within our Conference to build consensus where others thought impossible."
Scalise also made reference to the attack on him in 2017 when a man shot him as he practiced for the upcoming congressional baseball game.
"When I made it to the hospital and my family was told my chances of surviving were low, it was the prayers from all of you that carried us through," said Scalise. "When I was in the hospital for nearly 15 weeks, it was the possibility of getting back to work with all of you that kept me motivated to get better."
The speakership was vacated when a hard-right faction of Republicans, led by Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, voted to oust California Rep. Kevin McCarthy.
Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, currently the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, has also put forward his name as speaker.
