House Republicans made history Tuesday, but not in the way they had hoped.
Instead of seizing the House majority with a historic number of new GOP lawmakers, the party’s minuscule advantage following the midterm elections gave a group of conservatives leverage to thwart Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy’s bid for speaker. The impasse left the party in disarray and the chamber in opening-day limbo for the first time in a century.
The House abruptly adjourned Tuesday after three ballots cast by voice vote over five hours failed to elect either Mr. McCarthy or any other lawmaker to serve as House speaker.