Who is Republican leader Kevin McCarthy?
Kevin McCarthy is facing opposition from a small faction of Republicans who do not believe he is the right candidate to go toe-to-toe with Democrats.
House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy’s fate lies in the hands of Republican lawmakers who are slated to convene and vote on the next speaker of the House as soon as Tuesday afternoon.
In November 2022, McCarthy won his party’s caucus endorsement to become the GOP’s nominee for House speaker. He defeated his challenger U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., a member of the House Freedom Caucus, 188-31. McCarthy was also endorsed by former President Donald Trump.
However, now McCarthy is facing opposition from a small faction of Republicans who do not believe he is the right candidate to go toe-to-toe with Democrats in the new 118th Congress. McCarthy’s Republican critics also believe he isn’t conservative enough, as reported by the Associated Press.
To date, at least nine conservative House members have publicly announced their opposition to McCarthy becoming the next House speaker, according to CNBC. For months, the House GOP leader has been scrambling for votes to ensure his victory in the election for House speaker, yet there is a chance he may come up short.
If McCarthy loses his bid for speaker of the House, he will then be the first nominee in 100 years to fall short of securing support from his own party.
In order to win, McCarthy will need 218 votes, and with a 222 Republican-seat majority, he can only risk a few colleagues going rogue.
McCarthy, a California native, was elected to Congress in 2006 to represent the state’s 22nd Congressional District. He has served in several leadership roles, including chief deputy whip, the majority whip, and his current title as House Republican leader.
McCarthy is a graduate of California State University, Bakersfield, and has had a lengthy political career. In 2002, he was elected to the 32nd Assembly District in the California State Assembly. Shortly after taking office, his conservative colleagues promoted him to Assembly Republican leader, making him the first freshman legislator to assume the role.
In recent years, the congressman has passed legislation on reducing taxes and government spending and strengthening the U.S. military.
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