Rep. Greg Steube (R-FL) announced Thursday that he is running for House Republican Conference chair, arguing that the party's election losses stemmed from broken promises and leadership's unwillingness to pursue conservative polici
es.
"Republicans didn't lose because we were too conservative. We lost because we failed to deliver on the conservative policies we promised," Steube wrote in his announcement.
I’m running for Chair of the House Republican Conference.
— Congressman Greg Steube (@RepGregSteube) November 5, 2026
Republicans didn’t lose because we were too conservative. We lost because we failed to deliver on the conservative policies we promised.
I’m not interested in preserving the status quo. I’m stepping forward to give… pic.twitter.com/e0ftl9mSuP
"I'm not interested in preserving the status quo. I'm stepping forward to give Members a conservative choice and take our Conference in a new direction."
Steube joins a contest that includes incumbent Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-MI) and Rep. Erin Houchin (R-IN), as House Republicans choose their leadership following the loss of their majority. McClain is seeking another term in the position.
In a letter to colleagues, Steube accused Republican leaders of putting Washington's demands ahead of their commitments to voters. He said conservatives who questioned the party's decisions had been brushed aside. He wrote:
We had the resources, the opportunity, and the responsibility to govern. Yet too often, instead of standing firm on our principles, our leadership chose accommodation over conviction. The priorities of Washington took precedence over the commitments we made to the voters who put us here. Conservatives who raised concerns about our direction were too often ignored. The election results should make clear that this approach has failed. I have been outspoken about these failures because I believe our Conference deserves better. We cannot continue doing the same things, making the same excuses, and expecting a different result. We need to take an honest look at where we went wrong and have the courage to change course.
The announcement follows Steube's public demand Wednesday for Republican leaders in both chambers to step aside. He accused them of yielding to moderates and failing to act on warnings from conservative members.
Steube had also raised the possibility of seeking a leadership position during an appearance on Newsmax. He questioned why Republicans would keep the same people responsible for the party's messaging after losing House seats.
His campaign letter makes the case that changing the party's message alone would be insufficient. Steube said the conference chair must understand Republican policies, explain them clearly, and show voters that members intend to follow through.
"I understand that serving as Conference Chair requires more than managing a communications operation," he wrote. "It requires an understanding of the issues and the conviction to explain why they matter."
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