House returns for 12th speaker ballot after night of negotiations

The House returned to session Friday for another speakership vote after GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) lost on an 11th straight ballot Thursday — making this the longest speaker contest of the post-Civil War era.

State of play: McCarthy hosted a GOP conference call Friday morning and expressed optimism after a night of negotiations, two sources on the call said. But no deal has been reached, and even an agreement with a handful of persuadable rebels would not clinch the votes McCarthy needs to become speaker.

McCarthy said on the conference call that more votes...