House GOP Picks California's McCarthy for Cantor Post

House Republicans have selected Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California, a high-ranking member of House Speaker John Boehner's leadership team, to be their next Majority Leader.

McCarthy easily won the election to replace Eric Cantor, who suffered a shocking primary defeat to Tea Party candidate Dave Brat earlier this month.

Known for his friendly style, McCarthy previously served as Majority Whip, the member of the House leadership team charged with gauging support before major votes on the floor. In his new post, he'll put his policy-making prowess and considerable fundraising abilities to use as Boehner's top lieutenant.

Some conservatives hoped to mount a legitimate challenge to heir apparent McCarthy, saying that Cantor's defeat was a symptom of the party's general discontent with its leaders on Capitol Hill. But several viable contenders dropped out of the race, leaving Idaho's Raul Labrador as the sole symbolic opposition late in the contest.

Boehner's right flank may win its own victory later Thursday, though. Three members - Reps. Pete Roskam of Illinois, Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Marlin Stutzman of Indiana - are competing for McCarthy's previous job as Whip.

The momentum appears to be behind Scalise, the head of the conservative Republican Study Committee and a lawmaker who hails from a ruby red southern state.

His selection would be viewed as a counter to the two more establishment-minded leaders above him in the rankings, Boehner and McCarthy, whose home states were won by Barack Obama in the previous two elections.

First published June 19 2014, 12:16 PM

Carrie Dann

Carrie Dann is a national political writer for NBCNews.com. She has worked for NBC and NBCNews.com since 2006. Dann writes about politics and Congress. Dann rejoined the web team after 18 months as a campaign reporter for NBC News, covering presidential and vice presidential candidates during the 2012 election. She also covered the 2007-2008 presidential campaign for NBC, including extensive reporting on the Iowa caucuses.Prior to her work at NBCNews.com, Dann was a staff reporter at CongressDaily, where she covered lobbying and government reform.A Virginia native, she now lives in Washington, D.C.