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Kevin McCarthy is signaling he'll institutionalize key Trumpian priorities if he takes over as House speaker next year aggressive tactics targeting undocumented immigrants, liberals and corporate America.

Why it matters: He'd govern with an edge and agenda in stark contrast not just to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) but to Paul Ryan, the last Republican in the role. McCarthy's vision would empower populists and pugilists to complete the Republican makeover Donald Trump drove this far.

The big picture: Over the past year and intensifying in recent months the 56-year-old House minority leader from Bakersfield, California, has been auditioning for a contest he failed at before.

What we're seeing: Where Ryan was comparatively sympathetic toward undocumented immigrants, McCarthy is preemptively hard-line, as his recent Breitbart News interview showed.

"We're going to be more aggressive than in the past," McCarthy told Axios.

Between the lines: If Biden's low approval ratings and GOP strength in the generic ballot hold, the 2022 midterms may be the most favorable political environment for Republicans since the 2010 Tea Party wave election.

On immigration: McCarthy reiterated to Axios his recent pledge to Breitbart's Matt Boyle that he'll not consider any legislation offering legal status to undocumented immigrants, preemptively ruling out comprehensive immigration reform.

Relationship with corporate America: Many major corporations condemned former President Trump and after Jan. 6, cut their financial ties and disavowed Republicans who objected to certifying President Biden's victory. McCarthy hasn't forgotten, and he's signaled a hostile relationship with key emissaries of corporate America.

Economic orthodoxy: Until very recently, Republican leaders talked incessantly about tax cuts and deregulation. Trump's biggest legislative accomplishment was a huge corporate tax cut. But when McCarthy talks about Republicans' approach to some of the biggest corporations, he makes threats.

An enemies list: McCarthy has promised to escalate the inter-party warfare by stripping multiple Democrats of their seats on important committees.

Relationship with conservatives: McCarthy's willing to empower the most conservative members of his conference as no recent GOP leader has done.

Bottom line: McCarthy doesn't have a completely smooth road to speaker, even if Republicans dominate. This partly explains his aggressive efforts to align himself with the base.

Read more:
McCarthy's plot to build the House of Trump - Axios