McCarthy has spent his adult life in politics, first as a congressional staffer and then as a state legislator, before being elected to the House in 2006. He made an unsuccessful run for first speaker once in 2015, and the election represents the pinnacle of his career.
But the speaker’s post has proved a formidable challenge to Republicans in recent years, with John Boehner resigning from the post in 2015 after clashing with insurgent conservatives.
Boehner’s successor, Paul Ryan, a frequent target for conservatives, decided not to seek reelection in 2018 as then-President Trump shifted the party’s focus from Ryan’s financial priorities to immigration and culture-war issues.
McCarthy confronted hardliners when he publicly acknowledged that Trump had claimed responsibility for the deadly attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, days after the violence. He later repeatedly expressed allegiance to the former president.
On Saturday, Trump sought credit for electing the new speaker, posting a video on the Truth social network of McCarthy thanking Trump for his support, captioning it: “Thank you Kevin. It was my great honor.”
The White House said Biden spoke to McCarthy on Saturday to congratulate him.