House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy urged Republicans to unite behind his bid to become speaker in January, pushing back against a small group of GOP lawmakers who want somebody more conservative to hold the gavel.
Mr. McCarthy, of California, received a standing ovation in the first closed-door meeting among House Republicans since the midterm election. While some House races remain undecided, the GOP is projected to hold the slimmest of majorities in January, perhaps as small as a single seat.
The party fell far short of a hoped-for red wave that would provide them dozens of new seats and the poor results have created angst within the party that reverberated into the Capitol this week.