How have they done?

Are you better off?

What is two years of one party Democrat rule in Washington given us?

That was one of former President Donald Trump's biggest allies, Congressman Kevin McCarthy.

He's a Republican giant in Deep Blue California California, and campaigned for a new direction

for Washington during these past midterms.

And the result, he could be setting the agenda in Congress going forward.

I'm Gustav Arianna.

You're listening to The Times, essential news from the LA Times.

It's Wednesday, November 9, 2022.

Today, as part of our coverage of the 2022 midterms, the results, what they say about the power shift in Congress, the election in 2024, and the Republican leader at the center of it all.

My colleague Jeff Fleischman wrote a profile of Kevin McCarthy. Jeff, welcome the Times.

Thanks. Good to be here. So now the ballots are closed, but the results are unclear. There's going to be weeks probably of counting ballots. What pushed Republicans so close to a possible victory?

Well, a huge backlash against the Biden agenda. I mean, you had a real grassroots conservative movement within the House and across the country.

McCarthy says Democrat policies have forced Republicans to ask people, can you afford it?

Can I afford to fill up my tank? Can I afford the food, the milk? Can I find baby formula?

You had inflation, you had all these factors cascading against the Biden administration.

In the past two years, Joe Biden has launched

an assault on the soul of America, on its people, on its laws, on its most sacred values.

And you still had former President Trump who's still a factor in Republican politics, and all that coalesced together.

What can we expect for the future of Congress?

I think you're going to have questions on everything from voting rights, abortion rights.

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