WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican Representative Pete Sessions of Texas said on Wednesday he would run for the post of House majority leader to replace Eric Cantor, who is stepping down after losing a primary election in his congressional district.

Sessions told reporters that if elected to the No. 2 spot in the House of Representatives, his main concern would be securing the U.S. border with Mexico. He is currently chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee, a gatekeeper for legislation before it arrives on the House floor.

(Reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Peter Cooney)

[Image: U.S. Representative Pete Sessions (R-TX) talks to reporters as he arrives for a meeting with House Majority leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) (not pictured) and the House Republican caucus at the U.S. Capitol in Washington June 11, 2014. By Jonathan Ernst for Reuters]