House majority leader Kevin McCarthy officially announced his campaign for speaker of the House. In a letter sent to his fellow Republican congressmen, McCarthy promised that if elected he would lead a House of Representatives that would “have the courage to lead the fight for our conservative principles and make our case to the American people” as well as having “the wisdom to listen to our constituents and each other so that we always move forward together.”

“You all know me,” McCarthy wrote. “We’ve spent late nights on the House Floor together. I’ve visited your districts and met your families and constituents. More importantly, I have gotten to know your ideas, your goals, and your vision for our conference and our country.”