With Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to leave at the end of the month, the House of Representatives will soon choose his replacement. The first step comes on Thursday, with a conference election to nominate the candidate.
We reached out to all three Republican candidates for speaker about how they plan to engage young voters. So far, current Majority Leader and frontrunner Kevin McCarthy was the only candidate to respond to Red Alert’s request.
McCarthy’s office spoke to Red Alert Politics about how he appeals to young people in the GOP.
McCarthy, who was raised in a family of Democrats, has a special connection to young conservatives in that he was the Chair of the National Federation of Young Republicans from 1999-2001.
“He thus has a really good idea and understanding on how important those groups are,” his press secretary, Matt Sparks, said. McCarthy is “still keenly aware” of youth issues, Sparks continued.
Sparks specifically spoke about how McCarthy visits Silicon Valley to “cultivate ideas to make government more efficient, more effective.” McCarthy understands how young people want to do things much quicker than what the government is able to provide. And, his relationships have served him well to “cultivate a culture in Congress” that deals with the same technology and problem solving.
McCarthy has served in the House of Representatives for almost 10 years, since 2006.
Reps. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) and Daniel Webster (R-Fla.) are also running. Their offices have yet to respond.
