Rep.-Elect John James Nominates Kevin McCarthy for House Speaker

U.S. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) (R) shakes hands with Rep.-elect John James (R-Mich.) in the House Chamber during the third day of elections for Speaker of the House at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington on Jan. 5, 2023. Win McNamee/Getty Images

When Rep.-elect John James (R-Mich.) rose Thursday to nominate Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) to be the next Speaker of the House, it announced the long-delayed arrival on the national political scene of a rising GOP figure.

James won election to the House of Representatives in November 2022. It was his first election victory, having lost a 2020 Senate race to incumbent Democratic Sen. Gary Peters and another Senate race in 2018 to incumbent Sen. Debbie Stabenow.