WASHINGTON (AP) — The political future of 57-year-old Kevin McCarthy will once again be at stake as Republican lawmakers decide if he should be elected as House speaker.
It’s a journey the California lawmaker took once before in 2015, fruitlessly, facing the same opposition from the right flank of the party he is expected to meet this week. His first speakership run came when then-House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, resigned after an internal party battle with members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus.
More than seven years later, he is the party’s nominee for speaker after leading the Republican Party to a slim majority in the November midterm elections. He secured the support of most of the conference during a closed-door leadership vote shortly after and overcame a challenge from Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.
While McCarthy is as of now facing no serious Republican challenger for the constitutionally mandated office, which would make him second in line to the presidency, his ascension to speaker is an open question. He is facing entrenched opposition from a small number of conservative lawmakers who in a 222-213 majority could well tank his nomination.