Idaho Congressman Raul Labrador is running for Majority Leader in Congress, he announced to reporters in Boise today, after the defeat of GOP Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a primary election. “I’m in it to win it,” Labrador said. “I didn’t get into it to send a message.”

Labrador said he’s spent the last three days trying to convince two other members of Congress to make the run, but when they wouldn’t, he decided to do it. “The reality is that there is a large segment of our conference that wants change,” he said. “What we need is somebody that can … grow the Republican Party, can get people to actually want to be Republicans again.”

Labrador spoke briefly with reporters in Boise as he and Sen. Rand Paul stopped off on their way to the Idaho GOP convention in Moscow, where Paul will give the keynote address tonight. Asked if he thought Labrador had a chance at winning the majority leader post, Paul said, “There really is a question what is the message that’s sent when the voters replace someone in leadership. They want someone different. I think Raul brings that.”