Hardline Republicans dig in against McCarthy's House speaker bid

Late night office lights burn on the House of Representatives side of the U.S. Capitol after another day of voting, but no resolution, in the election of the new Speaker of the House, as Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) lost a sixth straight round of voting on the second day of the 118th Congress at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S., January 4, 2023 REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Hardline Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives rejected Kevin McCarthy's speakership bid for an 11th time on Thursday, while his supporters worked behind closed doors in hopes of cementing a deal that could bring success.

The voting propelled the House to a level of dysfunction not seen since the turbulent era just before the Civil War, even after McCarthy offered to curb his own clout, raising questions about the party's ability to wield power.