McCarthy on How He'd Differ from Speaker Boehner: 'I Won't Be As Tanned'

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was asked outside of a Republican caucus meeting today how he would be different than John Boehner (R-Ohio), should he win the Speaker’s gavel.

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“I won’t be as tanned,” quipped the Bakersfield congressman.

“John is a very good and decent man. This is a man that came into this office, and if you looked at those that maybe want to fight, how did the House bank get shut down? John Boehner’s the last one standing who shut it down,” McCarthy continued.

“He then fought to get us a majority. Went into leadership, left, became a committee chairman. Then came back and fought for another majority. He’s one of the few standing that’s won two majorities. But everybody is different. There is a generational difference about us as well. I’m a little younger.”

Boehner, 65, first came to the House in 1991. McCarthy, 50, has been in Congress since 2007.

“But, look, I know what’s going on across the country, and I’m concerned about what we hear. A lot of people in Washington concerned about power and institutions. I’m concerned about making a difference in everybody’s lives,” McCarthy continued.

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“We want to make sure that we’re closer to the people, that they feel this is their government, they’re in charge, and we serve them. Now, that’s not easy and it won’t change overnight. But that’s our mission.”

Emerging from a closed caucus meeting, Boehner said he hadn’t determined a timeframe yet for leadership elections.

“I told the members this morning, I have not decided when the leadership elections will occur. I asked for their input, and I got a little — few pieces of advice, but I would hope to make an announcement in the next day or two about that,” he said.

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