New House speaker McCarthy faces threat of moderate revolt over rules

Crucial rules package vote serves as yet another barometer of how dysfunctional Republicans’ tiny majority could be

Newly elected Republican House speaker Kevin McCarthy was facing a rocky first full day in charge of the House of Representatives on Monday with the fresh threat of a challenge to his hard-won authority – this time from moderate party members, not the hard-right fringe.

The House was set to vote on Monday evening on a crucial rules package governing business in the lower chamber in the 118th Congress, which kicked off last week with California congressman McCarthy needing a historic 15 rounds of voting to clinch the speakership.