Each day without a new speaker makes the federal government more likely to shut down next month, as the GOP caucus internal dysfunction delays vital legislation. Maybe they will finally narrow down their list of candidates this morning at their private meeting -- but no one's counting on it.Via the Washington Post:

The House has been mostly closed for business since Oct. 3, when a band of far-right rebels ousted then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). Republicans since have not coalesced around a replacement, running through multiple options without electing anyone. Without a speaker, lawmakers can’t bring bills to the floor.

Policy discussions have ground to a halt, even as war has broken out in Israel and federal funding is weeks away from expiring. Congress has until Nov. 17 to approve a deal to fund the government, or members of the military risk missing paychecks, national parks will close and the Internal Revenue Service will run shoestring operations.

It’s a high-stakes tussle for the GOP, which has crowed in recent weeks over polling data that reported voters trusted congressional Republicans rather than President Biden on economic policy. But now House Republicans appear unable to select their own leader. Eight Republicans are vying to claim the speaker’s gavel, but none so far appear to have a path to earn the 217 votes required to prevail. The party will gather in private Tuesday to try to pick one candidate to go to the full House for a vote.