Kevin McCarthy offered to reduce the clout of the U.S. House speaker’s job on Thursday in a failed bid to persuade hardline Republican colleagues to back his candidacy, raising questions about their party’s ability to wield power. McCarthy has fallen short during seven roll-call votes over three days, paralyzing the chamber and illustrating the outsized influence of a small group of far-right lawmakers in the 435-seat House of Representatives elected in November to a two-year term.
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