Why conservative Jeb Hensarling won't run for Majority Leader

Why conservative Jeb Hensarling won&#039;t run for Majority Leader

(Image credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

last updated 8 January 2015

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.

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Matt K. Lewis is a contributing editor at TheWeek.com and a senior contributor for The Daily Caller. He has written for outlets including GQ Politics, The Guardian, and Politico, and has been cited or quoted by outlets including New York Magazine, the Washington Post, and The New York Times. Matt co-hosts The DMZ on Bloggingheads.TV, and also hosts his own podcast. In 2011, Business Insider listed him as one of the 50 "Pundits You Need To Pay Attention To Between Now And The Election." And in 2012, the American Conservative Union honored Matt as their CPAC "Blogger of the Year." He currently lives in Alexandria, Va.

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