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The former Speaker of the House and representative from Bakersfield, California, Kevin McCarthy, is stepping down from the House of Representatives. He announced last week that he will be leaving the House at the end of the year. The response to the news has been mixed, both within the district he represents and within the national political sphere overall.

Many voters have made it known that they are happy with the departure.

One resident of Bakersfield made a statement to the local newspaper saying, “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out Kevin.” Another stated that Kevin McCarthy has not adequately represented his district and constituents for a very long time. On the other hand, many local political leaders have spoken out in support of McCarthy and his decision to leave. One described him as a hardworking patriot who tremendously advocates for the people of the Central Valley.

Notably, there has not been any comment from one key local leader, the mayor of Bakersfield. Karen Goh, who has held office for seven years, released no statement on the news of McCarthy’s leaving. Even when asked to comment on the service he has done for the city while in Congress for 16 years, she stated she was “too busy” to respond. It is unknown if there is any animosity between the two political figures and how far it back it may go.

The district was an once majority Republican area; now, it is about 50/50.

While the registrations are evenly split between the two parties, recent elections have shown that the parts of Kern County covered in the district have some of the lowest voter turnout rates in the entire state of California. In the presidential race in 2020, only about 58% of registered voters turned out for the election. This is about 12% lower than the average for the whole state, which was around 70%.

Many locals are hopeful that the replacement representative will better represent the actual people in the district. The population in the Bakersfield and Kern County areas have grown more and more diverse over the years, having a now Latinx majority, rather than a white farmer majority in the area.