House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) spent his August break traveling across the U.S. to shore up vulnerable House Republicans and, not coincidentally, bolster his bid to take over as leader of the House Republican caucus when Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) steps down, The Washington Post reports. McCarthy is close with President Trump, but he "faces persistent doubts among the most conservative GOP voters, who have long seen him as part of an establishment that has sought to sideline their views," the Post says.