Kevin McCarthy Born in Bakersfield

Summary

Kevin Owen McCarthy was born on January 26, 1965, in Bakersfield, California. He studied at California State University, Bakersfield, earning bachelor's and master's degrees in business, and worked as a congressional staff member before winning election to the California State Assembly. McCarthy entered the U.S. House of Representatives in 2007 and rose rapidly through Republican leadership, serving as majority whip, majority leader, and minority leader. After Republicans gained a House majority in the 2022 elections, McCarthy was elected Speaker of the House in January 2023 following fifteen ballots. His speakership operated under a narrow Republican majority and was marked by negotiations over federal spending, the debt ceiling, committee assignments, and internal party disputes. On October 3, 2023, the House voted to remove McCarthy as Speaker, the first such removal in U.S. history. He remained in Congress briefly before resigning on December 31, 2023.