Speaker of the House Race Takes Shape as 2nd Prominent Republican Announces Candidacy

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has announced his candidacy for speaker of the House of Representatives, according to a letter he sent his colleagues on Wednesday.
Scalise’s announcement comes one day after Kevin McCarthy was removed from the speakership by Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, whose motion to vacate the chair of the House passed on Tuesday by a vote of 216–210.
Since then, Gaetz and other House Republicans have suggested that Scalise would be an acceptable choice to replace McCarthy.

“Now, more than ever, we must mend the deep wounds that exist within our Confere …