Kevin McCarthy

Kevin McCarthy
Official portrait, 2023
55th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
In office
January 7, 2023 – October 3, 2023
Preceded byNancy Pelosi
Succeeded byMike Johnson
House Minority Leader
In office
January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2023
DeputySteve Scalise
Preceded byNancy Pelosi
Succeeded byHakeem Jeffries
Leader of the House Republican Conference
In office
January 3, 2019 – October 25, 2023
Preceded byPaul Ryan
Succeeded byMike Johnson
House Majority Leader
In office
August 1, 2014 – January 3, 2019
SpeakerJohn Boehner
Paul Ryan
Preceded byEric Cantor
Succeeded bySteny Hoyer
House Majority Whip
In office
January 3, 2011 – August 1, 2014
SpeakerJohn Boehner
Preceded byJim Clyburn
Succeeded bySteve Scalise
House Republican Chief Deputy Whip
In office
January 3, 2009 – January 3, 2011
LeaderJohn Boehner
Preceded byEric Cantor
Succeeded byPeter Roskam
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from California
In office
January 3, 2007 – December 31, 2023
Preceded byBill Thomas
Succeeded byVince Fong
Constituency22nd district (2007–2013)
23rd district (2013–2023)
Minority Leader of the California State Assembly
In office
January 5, 2004 – April 17, 2006
Preceded byDave Cox
Succeeded byGeorge Plescia
Member of the California State Assembly
from the 32nd district
In office
December 2, 2002 – November 30, 2006
Preceded byRoy Ashburn
Succeeded byJean Fuller
Personal details
Born
Kevin Owen McCarthy

(1965-01-26) January 26, 1965 (age 59)
Bakersfield, California, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
Judy Wages
​
(m. 1992)​
Children2
EducationCalifornia State University, Bakersfield (BS, MBA)
Signature
WebsiteHouse website
Party website

Kevin Owen McCarthy (born January 26, 1965) is an American politician. He was the 55th Speaker of the House of Representatives from January 7, 2023 to October 3, 2023. He is a member of the Republican Party. Before becoming speaker, he was the House minority leader of the United States House of Representatives from 2019 to 2023. He was the U.S. representative for California's 23rd district from 2007 to 2023.[1]

McCarthy was voted out as speaker on October 3, 2023 by several members of his own party.[2] His time as speaker was the third-shortest for a Speaker of the House in United States history,[3] and he is the first speaker to ever be removed from the role during a legislative session.[4]

Early life

McCarthy was born on January 26, 1965, in Bakersfield, California.[5] In 1984, at age 19, McCarthy ran his first business selling sandwiches out of the back of his uncle's yogurt shop on Stine Road.[6][7]

McCarthy studied at California State University, Bakersfield, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in marketing in 1989 and a Master of Business Administration in 1994.[8] During college, he worked as a seasonal firefighter for the Kern County Fire Department.[9]

Early political career

McCarthy was elected to the California State Assembly in 2002.[10] He became the Republican floor leader in 2003.[11] In 2006, McCarthy was first elected to the United States House of Representatives as a representative for California's 22nd district.[12]

2015 speaker campaign

On September 25, 2015, John Boehner announced his intention to resign as speaker of the House effective October 30, 2015. Many media outlets speculated that McCarthy would likely replace him.[13][14] He was the presumptive successor to Speaker John Boehner.[15]

On September 28, McCarthy formally announced his candidacy for Speaker of the House. Having held congressional office for less than nine years, McCarthy would have been the least experienced Speaker since 1891.[16] On October 8, 2015, McCarthy dropped out of the race for Speaker of the House. [17]

In October 2015, McCarthy was accused of having an affair with Representative Renee Ellmers.[18] He had unexpectedly dropped out of the race for Speaker of the House shortly before the allegations surfaced.[19][20]

Speaker of the House of Representatives (2023)

2023 speaker campaign

He led the Republicans in gaining narrow control of the House in the 2022 midterm elections; however he failed to win the Speakership on the first fourteen ballots upon the start of the 118th Congress.[21] He was criticized by far-right conservatives which refused to vote him in as speaker.[22] He was elected speaker on the fifteenth ballot on January 7, 2023.

Removal from office

On October 3, 2023, he was voted out of his role as Speaker of the House making it the first time in U.S. history that one has been removed during a legislative term.[23][24] Voting to remove McCarthy were House Democrats and eight House Republicans: Gaetz, Andy Biggs, Ken Buck, Tim Burchett, Eli Crane, Bob Good, Nancy Mace, and Matt Rosendale.[25] After the vote, McCarthy announced he would not seek the speakership again.[26] He was replaced by Louisiana Representative Mike Johnson on October 25, 2023.

Retirement

On December 6, 2023, McCarthy announced that he would be resigning from the House at the end of that year.[27] His term officially ended on December 31, 2023.

Personal life

McCarthy and his wife, Judy, have two children. He and his family are Baptists and members of the Southern Baptist Convention.[28]

References

  1. ↑ Ertelt, Steven (June 19, 2014). "Pro-Life Rep. Kevin McCarthy Elected Republican House Majority Leader Replacing Cantor". LifeNews. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  2. ↑ Edmondson, Catie (October 3, 2023). "Speaker Vote: House Votes to Oust McCarthy as Speaker". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  3. ↑ Hickey, Christopher (October 4, 2023). "McCarthy has lost the gavel. It was the third shortest speakership in history. | CNN Politics". CNN. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  4. ↑ Mascaro, Lisa; Amiri, Farnoush (October 3, 2023). "Speaker McCarthy ousted in historic House vote, as scramble begins for a Republican leader". Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  5. ↑ "McCarthy, Kevin". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  6. ↑ Jonathan Weisman (January 6, 2023). "Far-Right Critics Vex McCarthy in His Bakersfield District, Too". New York Times. Archived from the original on January 7, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  7. ↑ Glenn Kessler (February 2, 2018). "Kevin McCarthy's stint as a small-business entrepreneur". Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Full Biography". Congressman Kevin McCarthy website. U.S. House of Representatives. December 3, 2012. Archived from the original on March 19, 2017. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  9. ↑ McCarthy, Kevin (March 5, 2009). "CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks" (PDF). US House of Representatives. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 7, 2023. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Photos: Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy". CNN. November 15, 2022. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  11. ↑ Axelrod, Tal. "What to know about Kevin McCarthy's rise and fall from power". ABC News. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Statement of the Vote – November 2006" (PDF). California Secretary of State. p. 35. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 20, 2014. Retrieved June 19, 2014.
  13. ↑ Russell Berman. "John Boehner to Resign as House Speaker - The Atlantic". The Atlantic.
  14. ↑ "California's Kevin McCarthy Could be New Speaker - Breitbart". Breitbart.
  15. ↑ McCarthy's comments about Benghazi should raise a red flag for Republicans, Washington Post, Chris Cillizza, September 30, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  16. ↑ Kevin McCarthy would be the least experienced House Speaker since 1891, Washington Post, Phillip Bump, September 28, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
  17. ↑ Swanson, Ian (8 October 2015). "Shock! McCarthy drops Speaker bid". TheHill.
  18. ↑ Yglesias, Matthew (October 9, 2015). "The affair allegations that derailed Kevin McCarthy's quest for the speakership, explained". Vox. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  19. ↑ "Renee Ellmers Talks to GOP Caucus". U.S. News & World Report. Associated Press. October 9, 2015. Archived from the original on March 19, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  20. ↑ Hartmann, Margaret (May 21, 2018). "Whatever Happened to the Scandal That Derailed McCarthy's Last Bid for Speaker?". Intelligencer. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  21. ↑ Hutzler, Alexandra; Cathey, Libby; Axelrod, Tal; Oppenheim, Oren (January 3, 2023). "New Congress live updates: McCarthy set to lose 2nd speaker vote after historic defeat". ABC News. Retrieved January 3, 2023.
  22. ↑ McCaskill, Nolan D. (January 3, 2023). "Kevin McCarthy falls short on first three votes for speaker in historic defeat". Los Angeles Times. Washington, D.C. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  23. ↑ Wilkie, Emma Kinery,Christina (3 October 2023). "House ousts Kevin McCarthy as speaker, a first in U.S. history". CNBC. Retrieved 3 October 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  24. ↑ "Kevin McCarthy Ousted from House Speakership". TIME. 3 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  25. ↑ Blackburn, Piper (October 3, 2023). "Here are the 8 Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy as House speaker". CNN. Archived from the original on October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 4, 2023.
  26. ↑ Olivia Beavers (October 3, 2023). "McCarthy won't seek speakership again". Politico. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
  27. ↑ McCarthy, Kevin (6 December 2023). "Kevin McCarthy: My Next Chapter". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  28. ↑ Poletti, Jonathan (January 7, 2023). "Kevin McCarthy is a perfect Evangelical". Medium. Archived from the original on January 8, 2023.

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