Why speaker fight is about more than McCarthy

The chaotic speakership election offers a mirror into the GOP’s ability to bridge its own increasingly sharp divisions. And, for whoever takes up the gavel, what managing the 118th Congress might be like.

As Kevin McCarthy’s bid to become speaker stretched into another day with no resolution in sight, the sharp divisions and general dysfunction on display among House Republicans have made one thing clear: This standoff is about much more than just Kevin McCarthy. 

The California Republican, of course, is a big part of it. His decision to press...