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 faced 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 the election of the new speaker, posting a video on his 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.
McCarthy visited at least 34 states to campaign for more than 165 candidates ahead of the midterm elections. The Congressional Leadership Fund, a group linked to him, contributed more than $160 million to help Republican House candidates. According to his campaign team, McCarthy sent $6.5 million from his own campaign and four other entities under his control.
But in reaching the speakership, he also agreed not to interfere in future Republican primaries, even if it meant promoting candidates who were more likely to win the general election than right-wing rivals.
Republican Representative Mike Garcia said in a speech Friday nominating McCarthy, “Kevin is a good man. He is a man of God.” “He’s a patriot. He’s a leader who has led this convention to our current majority over the last four years. Those things are impenetrable.”