Mccarthy's Successor Pick Will Face Republican Foe

The race to replace former Speaker Kevin McCarthy will culminate in a Republican-on-Republican brawl that narrows the path for McCarthy's chosen successor.

Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux officially secured a general election spot on Wednesday, eclipsing Democrat Marisa Wood and setting a November matchup with Assemblymember Vince Fong, a former McCarthy aide.

McCarthy and much of the Republican establishment coalesced behind Fong, who also snagged a critical endorsement from former President Donald Trump. He piled up funds and benefited from a McCarthy-linked Super PAC.

But that was not enough to block Boudreaux from advancing as the sheriff accumulated local endorsements and channeled skepticism of the Bakersfield-area machine that produced both McCarthy and Fong.

California's 20th Congressional District is a rare Republican outpost in a deeply Democratic state, which makes it all but certain to stay in Republican hands. Fong's allies sought to seal his ascension by spending money to boost Wood, whom Fong likely would have crushed in a general election.

Instead, the race will turn on geographical and ideological fissures. While Fong's strong first place finish cemented his status as the clear frontrunner, the race could illuminate the kind of disagreements within the Republican Party that fueled McCarthy's ouster from the speakership.

Complicating those dynamics, voters will go back to the polls next week for a special election to fill out the final few months of McCarthy's term. The victor will have a powerful incumbent's advantage going into November.