Former Speaker of the House and California congressman Kevin McCarthy has announced he will not seek reelection and plans to retire at the end of the year; he shared the news on X.
McCarthy, 58, wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed that 17 years after first running for office to serve California in the House he had “decided to depart the House at the end of this year to serve America in new ways.”
“I’m an optimist. How could I not be? I’m the son of a firefighter. For 17 years I’ve served in the same congressional seat—the same office in which I was once denied an internship. Only in America,” he wrote.
“I will continue to recruit our country’s best and brightest to run for elected office. The Republican Party is expanding every day, and I am committed to lending my experience to support the next generation of leaders.”
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As the son of a firefighter from Bakersfield, my story is the story of America. For me, every moment came with a great deal of devotion and responsibility.
Serving you in Congress and as the 55th Speaker of the House has been my greatest honor. pic.twitter.com/jNnYQ8UO4k
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) December 6, 2023