“I want a House Leadership team that reflects the best of our conference,” Labrador said in a statement provided to National Journal. He later added: “I am running for Majority Leader because I want to help create a vision of growth and opportunity for everyone and start getting to work for the American people.”
A sophomore representative from a heavily Republican district, Labrador’s election would dramatically alter the dynamic atop the House GOP. The former immigration attorney is Hispanic and bilingual, and would add diversity to an all-white leadership team. Labrador is also a member of the enormous 2010 class, the members of which pushed the GOP into the majority—but have felt largely unrepresented since.