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A survey of U.S. adults conducted in December 2023 found that five percent of respondents held a very favorable opinion of Kevin McCarthy. Congressman McCarthy is the former Speaker of the House or Representatives, and represents California 20th congressional district.

Kevin McCarthy

Kevin McCarthy has occupied many Republican Leadership roles in his eight terms in Congress. Congressman McCarthy served as House Majority Whip from 2011 to 2014, and as House Majority leader from 2014 to 2019. When Republicans lost their House majority in 2019, he assumed the role of House Minority Leader until January 2023, when he became Speaker of the House.

Throughout the administration of Donald Trump, McCarthy was a consistent defender of the president. However, after the January 6th attack on the United States Capitol, he condemned the attack, as well as the president himself. He stated on the House floor that President Trump bears responsibility for the attack. Additionally, he stated that he would encourage the president to resign. McCarthy ultimately voted to overturn the result of the 2020 election.

Speaker of the House Election

His role as Minority Leader situated him as a logical candidate for House Speaker when the balance of power in the House shifted after the 2022 midterm election. However, many members of the far-right of the Republican Party were upset about his remarks regarding the January 6th Capitol Attack.

20 members of the far-right of the party initially refused to vote for McCarthy as Speaker, and with only a five-seat majority in the House, the position is precariously held. McCarthy eventually won the speakership after a historic 15 rounds of voting. 2023 marked the first time in a century the House Speaker has not been selected after .

Removal

In September 2023, after the House failed to pass the Speaker's proposed bill to fund the federal government, McCarthy proposed a temporary bipartisan bill in an attempt to prevent a government shutdown, which passed in the House. On October 3, 2023, Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz led a motion to oust McCarthy from the position of Speaker of the House, citing concerns over the bipartisan nature of the bill. The vote passed with 210 opposed and 216 in favor, which notably included eight House Republicans. This historic event marked the first instance in U.S. history that the House of Representatives removed its Speaker.