GOP deputy whip McCarthy on political fast track

Rising star, up-and-comer — call him what you will — Rep. Kevin McCarthy is someone to watch.

After a mere nine months as a state representative, Mr. McCarthy was elected House Republican leader in California. Now, two months into his second congressional term, he’s working in the House’s Republican leadership as chief deputy whip.

The post has been a career springboard for several high-profile House Republicans. Former Illinois Rep. Dennis Hastert was chief deputy whip before he became speaker of the House, and both current Minority Whip Eric Cantor and Rep. Roy Blunt used it as a steppingstone to become whip.

The 43-year-old Mr. McCarthy also helped found the Republican Young Guns along with Mr. Cantor and Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan in an effort to sharpen Republicans’ message and recruit “fresh-thinking” candidates to run for the House. The Young Guns were among the first to argue that Republicans had defaulted into voting against Democrats without offering alternatives of their own.

“I remember thinking we can’t just sit back and play defense; if we really want to find solutions, we need to challenge people on their ideas,” Mr. McCarthy says. A Weekly Standard cover featuring the trio is on the wall above his desk. “Paul Ryan’s the brilliant policy guy, Eric’s just the well-rounded person who runs the floor, and they throw me in as the strategist.”

Indeed, the Bakersfield, Calif., native reads political almanacs on flights to and from California to learn about his colleagues’ districts.

“My idea is knowing somebody’s district and knowing somebody will help me in passing legislation because, you know, maybe this is good for their district, too,” he says.

Mr. Ryan credits Mr. McCarthy’s rise to his “high-energy” personality as well as training by his mentor, former Rep. Bill Thomas, whom he replaced in office.

“His rise in three short years is nothing short of phenomenal, but not surprising,” Mr. Ryan says of his friend. “Once you get to know him, you can see why. He’s a very gifted person.”

Asked what he enjoys about policymaking, Mr. McCarthy eagerly recalls his days in the state Legislature.

“I love policy,” he says, pausing for emphasis. “Having been leader in California, you worked in what’s called the ‘big five’ on major issues — budget, workers’ comp and others - where the four leaders plus the governor get together to hammer out legislation. It forced you to engage.”

That system of bipartisan give-and-take has been absent in Congress, where House Republicans unanimously panned President Obama’s stimulus plan after Democrats shut them out of the writing process for the $787 billion bill. Mr. McCarthy worked alongside Mr. Cantor and Minority Leader John Boehner to educate members about the legislation and in the public effort to brand it ineffective.

“I don’t think anyone thought, especially on the first one, we’d get zero,” he says. “The bill was so bad it moved people that way; it wasn’t like we had to go break arms.”

Of course, Mr. McCarthy is quick to acknowledge that Republicans have a challenge in opposing legislation supported by Mr. Obama.

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