SCOTT DETROW, HOST:

Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy introduced this previous Wednesday he’s resigning from Congress earlier than his time period is up. McCarthy, after all, was booted as House speaker by his personal celebration earlier this yr. But his departure from Congress marks one other second of California’s clout within the Capitol taking successful. It comes a couple of yr after former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi stepped away from Democratic House management, and it comes as California Republicans proceed to wrestle for relevance within the nation’s largest state. To speak extra about McCarthy’s departure and what it means, we’re joined now by Scott Shafer of member station KQED. Scott, I do know you are a San Francisco Giants fan.

SCOTT SHAFER, BYLINE: (Laughter).

DETROW: I’m sorry you needed to take heed to that final section.

SHAFER: Oh, my God. Ohtani. Don’t get me began. You’re killing me.

DETROW: On McCarthy, although, how will his absence have an effect on California Republicans?

SHAFER: Yeah, effectively, Scott, essentially the most rapid affect could possibly be on fundraising. McCarthy has, as you realize, a strong relationship with the state celebration management and with massive donors. And, you realize, getting individuals to ante up massive bucks to assist Republicans in a deep-blue state like California is only a heavy elevate as a result of, frankly, it is not an excellent funding. That mentioned, McCarthy does have tens of millions of {dollars} left in his marketing campaign accounts, and he might steer a few of that to California Republicans. And there are 5 – 6 susceptible Republicans in California in House districts gained by Joe Biden, they usually might use the assistance.

DETROW: Yeah. Is this one other second within the wane of a sure sort of conservatism?

SHAFER: Yeah, in a means, it’s. You know, going again to his days within the state legislature, McCarthy had been referred to as a conservative, for positive, but in addition to be pragmatic, someone who might work with Democrats. And finally, in D.C., that was his downfall as speaker, you realize, as a result of a number of the far proper of the celebration simply suppose compromise is a unclean phrase.

DETROW: Yeah.

SHAFER: So clearly, the GOP has moved to the fitting of McCarthy since he arrived in D.C. in 2007. And, you realize, he is tried to maintain up. He embraced the Tea Party and other people like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who’s actually outdoors the mainstream. And then, after all, McCarthy tied himself to Donald Trump, all of it to meet his longtime dream of turning into speaker, which, as we all know, did not finish effectively.

DETROW: It didn’t. But let’s take into consideration California’s affect in Congress for a second as a result of there’s been an enormous shift, and it is not simply on the Republican aspect. California Democrats have additionally lately misplaced some veteran voices. What does that imply for his or her celebration?

SHAFER: Well, you realize, having two consecutive House audio system from one state was unprecedented in fashionable occasions, however that is what occurred when Democrat Nancy Pelosi was adopted by Republican Kevin McCarthy. Now, Pelosi nonetheless wields a whole lot of affect in her celebration behind the scenes, particularly as a fundraiser and a strategist. But we additionally misplaced the seniority of Senator Dianne Feinstein, who died this yr. So now we now have two comparatively inexperienced U.S. senators in a physique the place seniority issues rather a lot. So on the identical time that is occurring, there’s been a wave of retirements from longtime members of the House, like Anna Eshoo from Silicon Valley. She’s leaving after 30 years. And then you definitely’ve acquired three different House members operating for the U.S. Senate seat held by Feinstein earlier than she died – Adam Schiff, Katie Porter and Barbara Lee. All of them shall be out of the House. And assuming one turns into senator, they don’t seem to be going to have any seniority.

DETROW: When I used to be working with you a decade in the past, we might speak rather a lot about this complete technology of politicians in California sort of ready within the wings for his or her second due to so many figures who have been holding energy within the state and holding it for a very long time. Is that second occurring now?

SHAFER: Yeah, it truly is. As you realize, no Republican has gained a statewide election right here since Arnold Schwarzenegger did it in 2006. And if you happen to take a look at the Republican congressional delegation, there’s not lots of people there with a whole lot of affect. Democrats, however, you’ve got acquired Pete Aguilar from Southern California transferring up the ranks. And, after all, we acquired Vice President Kamala Harris and Gavin Newsom’s profiles rising nationally. So the state continues to be going to have loads of clout, possibly rather less than we did earlier than.

DETROW: That’s Scott Shafer of member station KQED. Scott, good to speak to you.

SHAFER: Good to speak to you, Scott.

(SOUNDBITE OF ALLAH-LAS SONG, “CATAMARAN”)

DETROW: And this isn’t the California report from 2013, although it sounds prefer it.

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