Johnson officially swears in Vince Fong as McCarthy's replacement

California GOP Rep. Vince Fong was sworn into office on Monday night, officially replacing former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy until the November general elections.

Fong was elected as McCarthy's successor in a special election last month, after receiving endorsements from McCarthy and former President Donald Trump. He defeated Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux, but will still need to win a full term in November.  

The California lawmaker gives Republicans a two-seat margin over Democrats, and brings the total number of Republicans in the House to 218, over the 213 Democrats. He was sworn in by House Speaker Mike Johnson.

“I’m truly honored, humbled and grateful to be given this opportunity by the voters to serve and be a strong voice for our region,” Fong said, according to The Hill. “I look forward to serving and working alongside all of you to address our nation’s challenges and to ensure that the voice of the congressional district and my neighbors [that] have entrusted me are heard every single day in these halls of Congress ... We can tackle these challenges head-on and leave a better and stronger America for future generations."

Fong, a former aide of McCarthy's and former state assemblyman, now represents California District 20. The district consists of parts of Kern and Tulare Counties, and includes the cities of Bakersfield and Fresno. 

The seat is expected to remain conservative in the general election later this year, with the nonpartisan Cook Political Report rating the district as “solid Republican.”

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.