HARRISBURG — State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe of Cranberry Township announced this morning he will run for speaker of the state House of Representatives when the chamber meets for the first time this year on Tuesday.

The Republican is a long shot to defeat the Democratic nominee, Rep. Keith McCall of Carbon County. That is because the Democrats have a five-seat majority in the House.

Metcalfe emphasized fiscal restraint by state government in his announcement.

He said, "The current budget-breaking economic tsunami has forced businesses and families to make difficult decisions to survive. Pennsylvanians deserve a representative government that is fiscally responsible.

"Clearly, business as usual is not the answer that the people are looking for from their elected leaders in Harrisburg."

He said, "I have consistently voted against the excessive spending, appropriated not only by the legislature during the Rendell administration, but also during the Ridge administration.

Talking about running against McCall, Metcalfe said in his release, "Ultimately, the choice will be between a candidate who has been complicit in the fiscally irresponsible actions of past legislatures and the candidate who has blazed a trail in the opposite direction toward the desperately needed, fiscally-responsible legislature of the future."