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The allegiances of House GOP freshmen quickly tested in leadership races

The incoming freshman class of House GOP lawmakers is getting their first taste of Capitol Hill politics with calls from Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and others trying to shore up support for leadership elections.

The newbies, once their support is guaranteed, are then deployed to lobby fellow freshmen to get the troops in line behind Mr. McCarthy’s bid for speaker and lawmakers seeking other leadership posts in the House Republican Conference.

One recently elected Republican who plans to support Mr. McCarthy for speaker in a GOP-run House said he’s been lobbied by several incoming freshmen to support various leadership candidates.