McCarthy’s Concessions to Freedom Caucus and What They Mean

U.S. Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) delivers remarks after being elected as Speaker in the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, on Jan. 7, 2023. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Newly elected House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) had to make numerous concessions to win over a holdout group of populist Republicans in order to secure their votes. Here are the key concessions McCarthy had to make, including what some Republican strategists say is the key one—allowing just one member to move to vacate the speaker’s chair, giving McCarthy a fragile grip on power.

McCarthy was elected as the 55th House Speaker in the early hours of Jan. 7 by a vote of 216–212.