Kevin McCarthy Begins New Role As House Majority Leader
Representative Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), begins his tenure as House Majority Leader with critical issues already weighing on his schedule, the L.A. Times is reporting.
The Republican, from Bakersfield, officially took on the role Thursday following the resignation of Eric Cantor, whose recent primary defeat has been blamed largely on his immigration policies. McCarthy immediately used his new position to try to secure support for a bill that would provide funds for the ongoing border crisis along the U.S.-Mexico border (see this Inquisitr article).
He also used the occasion to update his Twitter handle, from @gopwhip (the position of “whip” is the second-highest ranking official in a party in the House and Senate) to @gopleader.
With that, it’s time to pass on the @GOPLeader Twitter handle to my good friend Kevin McCarthy, our next Majority Leader!
— Eric Cantor (@RepEricCantor) July 31, 2014
In an op-ed piece written by McCarthy and published in The Washington Post, McCarthy promises:
“My House colleagues and I will work to ensure that Washington empowers Americans by restoring the promise of the American Dream.”
McCarthy’s new role comes at a time when Congressional job approval is around 12 percent, according to Real Clear Politics. McCarthy seems to address that concern in his statement.
“I do not hide from these criticisms. Congress works for the American people, and if we are to lead, we must have the wisdom to listen.”
According to an analysis of his voting record by On the Issues, McCarthy is far-right conservative. Specifically, he’s voted against several bills that would expand or provide federal funding for abortions, and voted in favor of bills that would limit abortion; voted against a variety of special federal spending bills that included bailouts, stimulus money, etc.; voted against gay marriage; and has spoken out in support of stricter penalties for drug crimes.
According to his website, Kevin is a native of Bakersfield (according to Cox News, the most conservative city in California) the son of a firefighter (and grandson of a cattle rancher). He built a business — a deli — “from the ground up,” he states. He later sold his business and entered politics, eventually becoming a Republican leader at the state level before working his way up to his current position in Washington.
Do you believe that Kevin McCarthy’s position of House Majority Leader will bring any substantive change to Congress? Let us know what you think in the Comments.
[Lead image courtesy of: Huffington Post]
[In-line image courtesy of: On The Issues]
