WASHINGTON – House majority whip Kevin McCarthy got a big break in his bid to become the new majority leader when a top conservative rival decided not to enter the race.
Rep. Jeb Hensarling, a Texas Republican who conservatives were pushing for the No. 2 post in the House, announced he would not try to succeed Virginia’s Eric Cantor as majority leader.
Cantor said Wednesday he would step down at the end of July after suffering a stunning defeat in a Republican primary at the hands of a college professor who raised just $216,000 for his underdog campaign. Cantor raised more than $5.5 million.
“After prayerful reflection, I have come to the conclusion that this is not the right office at the right time for me and my family,” Hensarling said in a statement.
The move should help McCarthy, the No. 3 Republican leader – and a backer of granting legal status to undocumented immigrants.
McCarthy has a strong organizational team in place as the party whip. But he has problems with Tea Party-affiliated members who want to install a conservative from a Republican state in leadership.
House leadership scheduled the vote for next week, a move that gives insurgent forces little time to put together an organization.
McCarthy still faces a challenge from Texas Rep. Pete Sessions, the Rules Committee chairman who is making an appeal for tougher border enforcement.
Sessions’ invocation of border issues was a shot at McCarthy’s immigration stance. McCarthy’s Bakersfield, Calif. district has a strong contingent of Hispanic voters.
McCarthy spoke positively about immigration reform in an interview with KBFX early this year.