Rep. Kevin McCarthy 's election to the No . 2 Republican leadership position in the House was expected by politicos , but this Californian 's back story is full of plot twists . Here are five things you might not know about him : . 1 . Role model : Actor Kevin Spacey reportedly shadowed McCarthy to prepare for his role as Majority Whip Frank Underwood in the Netflix series `` House of Cards . '' Unlike the duplicitous and murderous Underwood , McCarthy is considered by colleagues to be an affable guy who often invites members to his office to discuss their woes and share takeout food . Still , there are a few similarities . McCarthy once told reporters at the Sacramento Press Club that Underwood 's office knickknacks and dÃ©cor look quite familiar . 2 . Funding his future : McCarthy married his high school sweetheart and opened a deli with $ 5,000 he won in the lottery . According to the Orange County Register , an old menu shows the future politico once served up `` fresh Dutch Krunch white rolls every day . '' He used the money to help pay his way through California State University , Bakersfield . 3 . Rapid rise : His political ascent has been meteoric . His boss , former House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas , endorsed the young staffer to replace him in 2006 . Since then , he 's cruised through every re-election and used his charm , intellect and savvy , friends say , to climb through the House GOP 's leadership ranks . Seven years after he first took office , he 's now considered the front-runner for the majority leader 's job . 4 . Workouts and flip-flops : He 's a workout buff who , in his spare time , dons the West Coast casual look . At Wednesday 's annual softball game between women members of Congress and the media , McCarthy was spotted wearing linen slacks and flip-flops . He reportedly enjoys riding his bike along Rock Creek Park 's trails in Washington or working up a sweat to P90X , much like Rep. Paul Ryan , R-Wisconsin . 5 . Immigration views could be problematic : Like Rep. Eric Cantor , R-Virginia , the outgoing House majority leader , McCarthy has a nuanced position on immigration that could lead to some showdowns with both conservatives and pro-immigration reform advocates . Businesses in his district depend heavily on immigrant labor to work the fertile farmland . His district is also 35 % Hispanic , and pro-immigration organizations have vowed to ramp up the pressure on McCarthy to address reform . Complete coverage of the 2014 midterm elections . House Republicans elect McCarthy to take Cantor 's job .
Kevin McCarthy , R - California , elected by peers as the No . 1 Republican candidate in the House . Kevin Spacey reportedly shadowed McCarthy to prep for the lead on ` ` House of Cards '' McCarthy once used the $ 5,000 he won in a lottery to open a deli to help pay for college . His meteoric rise might be hindered by immigration positions .