Washington.
Republican Kevin McCarthy is the new speaker of the House of Representatives. To get the job, he made many concessions.
He is the quintessential American career politician: telegenic, eloquent, with that perfectly coiffed, graying hair that gives him an air of seriousness that many of his political opponents Kevin McCarthy (57) agree. Now the California Republican will finally start his dream job.
As Speaker of the House, he is the highest-ranking member of the US House of Representatives and successor to the powerful Nancy Pelosi. But it won’t be easy for him. Because after the defeats in the congressional elections and McCarthy’s numerous defeats, the conservatives are more divided than ever before.
His mother took care of the family, his father worked as a fireman
McCarthy is Irish-Italian descent. He was raised in Bakersfield, California, in what the MP describes as a “lower-middle class” family. His mother took care of the family while the father worked as a fireman. He earned a masters degree in marketing from California State University.
The talent for sales made itself felt in his political career noticeable. With a go-getter mentality, he distinguished himself on the staff of Congressman Bill Thomas, rose to the ranks of Young Republican leader, and was elected to several positions as a local politician. His big break came in 2006 when he first entered the US House of Representatives. Just eight years later, the high-flyer made it to the Republican majority leader.
McCarthy supported the Trump narrative for a long time – then the reversal came
Despite the indisputably steep career, McCarthy is often in the crossfire of criticism. Because the success can be attributed not least to his unabashed opportunism. As a local politician, he had supported abortion rights in his home state, but has categorically rejected them since being elected to Congress. He also spoke out in favor of aid to Ukraine during the war, but now says that under his aegis there will be “no blank check” for Kyiv.
McCarthy’s fickle position on former President Donald Trump is also striking. For a long time he supported his narrative stolen choice and had private audiences with Trump in Mar-a-Lago even after the failed coup attempt in the US Capitol. Then came the turnaround: Biden actually won the election.
He had to make concessions to the right wing of the party
To get the necessary votes for the “Speaker” job To get it, McCarthy had to make concessions to the right wing of the party. Among other things, he has approved investigations into President Joe Biden for withdrawing from Afghanistan and his son Hunter for his role in a Ukrainian natural gas company. McCarthy has also empowered the right to vote him out of office relatively easily if he doesn’t do their bidding. He also agrees that investigations into the alleged “too harsh” treatment of the rioters of January 6, 2021 be launched.
But even these concessions were not enough for the rebels, who voted against him 14 times. As a result, he made further concessions ahead of Friday night’s final ballot: McCarthy promised that his fundraising committee (“Super Pac”) would refrain from campaigning against far-right candidates in future elections. He also promised Trumpists seats in Congress on influential committees.
Placating the far-right was hard enough. But now it is also about working with Biden and the Democrats to negotiate an increase in the national debt limit and avert a state bankruptcy. On “dream job” so with many pitfalls.
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