In the wake of Rep. Eric Cantor's electoral defeat, some conservatives were hoping a more conservative member of Congress would be elevated to the Majority Leader post he would vacate. But instead, Alex Pappas reports that as Rep. Kevin McCarthy becomes Cantor's top pick to replace him, conservativeTexas Rep. Jeb Hensarling announced he will not run against him.
Winning a vote among Republican House Members is entirely different from winning a primary race in, say, Virginia, so it should come as no surprise to anyone that McCarthy — the establishment favorite who is, after all, next in line — has the inside track.
But there's something else worth considering that might be influencing Hensarling's decision to pass, and that's the fact that being in House leadership and being a conservative darling might be mutually exclusive.