Rep. Dan Meuser has withdrawn his name from the race for the next Speaker of the House, at the same time calling for unity within his party as efforts to fill the position drag on.
“We must this week come together as Republicans and elect a new speaker and get back to work. Growing our Republican majority in the House, winning the Senate, and electing President Trump in 2024 is the best way to move our country forward,” Meuser, R-Dallas, said in a statement released Monday.
Meuser last week had said he was supporting Jim Jordan for the post, before it became clear that Jordan was unable to secure enough votes for the role.
In a Thursday interview with media on the U.S. Capitol steps that was captured by C-Span, Meuser said he was considering seeking the post, saying that House Republicans have been showing they are dysfunctional.
On Sunday, Meuser formally announced his candidacy for speaker.
That candidacy ended one day later, with Meuser stressing that he is committed to helping lead Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in Pennsylvania, whose leadership team he joined in June.
“To save America, we must rid Joe Biden from the White House. Biden’s policies have been a disaster — foreign and domestic. That’s why I’ve made a commitment to President Trump to help lead his campaign in Pennsylvania,” Meuser said Monday.
“I want to focus on this commitment, as well as the House and Pennsylvania Senate race, so therefore, I am withdrawing from the Speaker’s race,” he added. “I believe the House will elect a new speaker, and I know we will be in good hands with one of our colleagues running. I’ve spoken to President Trump, and he supports my decision.”