BREAKING: The Speakership Showdown Intensifies After Senior Republican Enters The Race

On Wednesday, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) entered the race for speaker of the House after his former boss, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), was ousted from the speakership by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and his allies.

In a letter to colleagues, Scalise, who was recently diagnosed with blood cancer, wrote, "We all came here to save this country from being taken down a dangerous path of destruction. We don't sacrifice time without families to come to Washington to fight over the small things - we are here because we care about our children's futures and the kind of country they will grow up in."

"I firmly believe this Conference is a family," Scalise wrote before referencing the 2017 congressional baseball shooting. "When I was shot in 2017, it was Members of this Conference who saved my life on that field. 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."

"I know the coming weeks ahead will be some of the most arduous times we will face together," the House majority leader continued. "but this Conference is worth fighting for - we cannot lose sight of our shared mission. Now, more than ever, we must mend the deep wounds that exist within the Conference and focus on our objectives so we can get back to work for the millions of people who are counting on us."

"It is with that sense of responsibility and purpose that I am seeking the Conference's nomination for Speaker of the House," he wrote before listing off a number of his accomplishments while in leadership.

"God already gave me another chance at life," he said in the letter's conclusion. "I believe we were all put here for a purpose. This next chapter won't be easy, but I know what it takes to fight and I am prepared for the battles that lie ahead. I humbly ask you for your support on this mission to be your Speaker of the House."

You can read Scalise's full letter below:

As previously reported by the DC Enquirer, Rep. Jim Jordan, the current chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, announced that he would be pursuing the speakership following Rep. Kevin McCarthy's (R-CA) ouster from the post by eight Republican rebels led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL).

Jordan, who is a member of the Freedom Caucus, told reporters that he would be running for the leadership post as multiple members consider the position, particularly Majority Leader Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA).

Jordan spoke in favor of Speaker McCarthy during the vote to vacate the chair and is seen as a strong McCarthy ally while simultaneously being a strong conservative.

The Freedom Caucus member has already seen some support from his GOP colleagues while others have yet to make their allegiances clear including conservative stalwart Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) who said, "Jim is a friend, and I certainly think he brings a whole lot that this conference would be able to rally around, but we've got to all have a conversation and I'm not going to say who I'm supporting at this point. We're going to figure this out behind closed doors as a family."

As the fight for the speakership intensifies with two official candidates, it is anyone's guess whether additional members will throw their hat in the ring for the speaker's gavel.

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