House conservatives oppose McCarthy, search for alternative
By ALAN FRAM, Associated Press
Oct 7, 2015 1:24 PM CDT
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of Calif. pauses during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015. The House’s most hard-edged conservatives are trying to keep McCarthy from inheriting the Speaker post from Boehner once he steps down. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)   (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House's most hard-edged conservatives are eager to derail Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy's bid to become speaker. But they remain outnumbered and it's unclear if they can rally behind an alternative.

That leaves the California Republican the heavy favorite when GOP lawmakers choose their candidate to replace outgoing Speaker John Boehner on Thursday.

Ohio Republican Rep. Jim Jordan is leader of the House Freedom Caucus, representing dozens of rebellious conservative lawmakers. He says his group intends to vote as a bloc in Thursday's secret ballot vote among GOP lawmakers.

But there is no indication they've settled on a candidate. And with McCarthy expected to win Thursday's vote anyway, many are looking ahead to Oct. 29, when the full House formally elects the next speaker.

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