Kevin McCarthy approval among independents bodes well for GOP 2022 prospects

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy boasts a 48% job approval rating with independents, putting the California Republican in line to be elected speaker 8 percentage points ahead of President Joe Biden with this crucial voting bloc.

In national Gallup polling from Dec. 1-16, McCarthy enjoyed an overall job approval rating of 46%, higher than House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (40%), Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (44%), and Biden (43%). But the minority leader’s advantage among independent voters is greater still. He performed 10 points better with this key cohort than Pelosi’s 38% and 8 points better than Biden and Schumer, who...