Kevin McCarthy’s immigration problem: conservative loyalty vs. California ag interest
BY EMILY CADEI-February 15, 2018 12:01 AM
WASHINGTON
When California Congressman Kevin McCarthy ran for speaker of the House in 2015, a lack of conservative support sunk his bid.
Lately, though, the right has been warming to McCarthy, cheering his public stand in favor of immigration restrictions and defense of President Trump’s immigration demands.
“Leader McCarthy is probably the closest member of House leadership to President Trump,” said R.J. Hauman, government relations director at the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which favors strict immigration limits. That gives Hauman’s group confidence that the Bakersfield-area Republican understands “the core issues that President Trump ran on,” he said, starting with immigration.
“We also believe he really understands the importance of not selling out on immigration,” Hauman said.
