Conservative Labrador mulls challenge

Rep. Raúl Labrador (R-Idaho) is considering a run for House majority leader.

The conservative favorite told a reporter from The Washington Post that he would likely decide Friday whether to challenge Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for the House GOP’s No. 2 position.

{mosads}The Post interviewed Labrador as he was headed back to Idaho from Washington, D.C.

McCarthy is the only candidate in the race to replace Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), after Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) ended his bid Thursday night.

There could still be an opening for a conservative candidate, as pundits on the right and some lawmakers have said they’d like another option.

Reps. Steve King (R-Iowa) and Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) on Thursday said McCarthy and Sessions were not sufficiently opposed to “amnesty,” or giving legal status to immigrants who entered the country illegally.

Labrador told the Post that colleagues were urging him to challenge McCarthy, and he was weighing the pros and cons.

“It’s not something that I’ve been planning,” Labrador said.

The Post reported that Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.), both Tea Party favorites, were on the flight and chatted with Labrador.