House Majority Leader Steve Scalise on Friday highlighted his fundraising prowess as an edge over Rep. Jim Jordan in the speaker’s race, previewing the argument he will make to House Republicans next week.
He said the money he brings in will help reelect GOP lawmakers and expand the Republicans’ slim majority.
Mr. Scalise, Louisiana Republican, sharpened his message just hours after former President Donald Trump endorsed Mr. Jordan of Ohio, giving him a huge advantage in the speaker race.
“There’s a lot of things you have to do as speaker. Number one, hold the majority, but continue to go win more seats. We need to go be battling all across this country,” he said on Fox News. “We’ve got members in really tough districts that even Joe Biden won that we need to hold, but then grow in districts that we didn’t win last year that we can win next year. And it takes a lot of money to do that.”
Mr. Scalise raised $170 million for GOP lawmakers in the last decade compared to Mr. Jordan who had raised just under $40 million.
Mr. Scalise and Mr. Jordan launched their campaigns for speaker after eight Republicans and the entire House Democratic caucus voted Tuesday to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy from the speaker job.
Only about a quarter of House Republicans, according to a Washington Times whip count, have made their speaker endorsements public, and the race is neck and neck.
Mr. Trump’s endorsement, however, is expected to give Mr. Jordan a major boost.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.