Sessions to run for majority whip

House Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (R-Texas) is joining the race for majority whip.

In a Tuesday email to House Republicans, Sessions touted his tenure atop the Rules Committee, which determines how legislation is considered on the floor, as well as his 2010 chairmanship of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), a wave year for Republicans.

{mosads}“I know how to build a successful member-driven institution because that’s exactly what we did at the NRCC and what we have done at the Rules Committee,” Sessions wrote.

“While serving as NRCC Chairman in 2010, I boldly proclaimed that our party would retire Nancy Pelosi as Speaker. Political pundits — and even members of our party —thought that was impossible, but we did it with a net-gain of 63 seats and a new class of 89 freshman members,” he said.

The whip slot will only become open if House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) wins the race for majority leader. Should Scalise win, the contest to replace him would split at least three ways with Sessions, Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) and Deputy Whip Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.). Rep. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) is also said to be considering an entry into the whip race.

Sessions has served as chairman of the Rules Committee — also known as the Speaker’s Committee since majority-party members are handpicked by the Speaker — since 2013.

“As Rules Committee chairman, I share the concern I hear every day that we need to return to regular order and I understand the processes and mechanisms necessary to achieve that goal,” Sessions wrote. “I have spent many late nights at the Rules Committee listening to your ideas on how we should move forward as a team, and as majority whip, I would dedicate the same time and passion into turning your ideas into consensus and action.”

Sessions previously mounted an unsuccessful bid for majority leader last year after Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) lost his primary. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the current House majority leader who is now running to succeed Rep. John Boehner (Ohio) as Speaker, easily won that race.

Scott Wong contributed