Kevin McCarthy’s Departure Triggers Special Election to Fill His Seat
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) has announced his resignation, and Republicans are wincing at the long window before his seat is filled.
California law says the governor must schedule a special election for a U.S. House seat between 126 to 140 days after it is vacated.
That means the seat would remain vacant until near Memorial Day, with a general election likely on May 20, 2024.
First, California will conduct a nonpartisan blanket primary, in which the top two vote-getters, regardless of party, advance to the general election.
The winner of the general election would be seated within days of victory.
The small window ties the hands of Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), who would prefer to schedule the election later to keep the reliably Republican seat — which Cook Political Report ranks R+14 — vacant as long as possible.
Republicans will miss McCarthy’s vote during marquee legislative battles of the first half of 2024. Foremost among those, the first deadline for funding the federal government is January 19, with the second deadline on February 2. Congress bifurcated a massive bill to continue government spending, leading to two deadlines weeks apart.
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https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/12/06/kevin-mccarthys-departure-triggers-special-election-to-fill-his-seat/
