McCarthy plays hardball with GOP rebels over committee assignments

House Republicans are delaying decisions on prime committee assignments and chairmanships for next year, a move that could help Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy undercut challenges to his bid for speaker.

The internal House GOP steering panel was set to meet with candidates this week for contested committee chairmanships, but that schedule was scrapped. Instead, those meetings could be delayed until January, when the panel will also meet with candidates making uncontested bids to chair a committee.

Officially, the delay will only affect three committees: Ways and Means, Budget, and Homeland Security. But the move...