Kevin McCarthy is an American politician and businessman who served as the 31st Speaker of the United States House of Representatives from January 2023 until his historic removal in October 2023, and as the U.S. Representative for California's 20th congressional district from 2007 to 2023. Born on January 26, 1965, in Bakersfield, California, to a working-class family—his father was a firefighter and his mother a homemaker—McCarthy grew up in the Central Valley region. He briefly attended Bakersfield College before transferring to California State University, Bakersfield, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in marketing in 1989 and a Master of Business Administration in 1994. Prior to his political career, McCarthy worked in small business, including co-owning a delicatessen and a vineyard, and held positions in banking and finance, experiences that shaped his advocacy for economic issues.

McCarthy entered politics in the early 2000s, serving as a district director for Congressman Bill Thomas and as chairman of the Young Republican National Federation. Elected to the California State Assembly in 2002, he quickly became the Republican leader by 2004. In 2006, he won election to the U.S. House, where he rose through GOP leadership ranks, serving as chief deputy whip from 2011 and majority whip from 2014. Known for his fundraising prowess and close ties to business leaders like venture capitalist Doug Leone, a major donor, McCarthy played a key role in Republican strategy during the Trump era, including efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and advance tax cuts. His tenure as Speaker was marked by internal party strife, leading to his ouster by a slim margin in a vote led by far-right Republicans, after which he retired from Congress and transitioned to private sector roles, including as a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute.