Party politics

Two Kansas medical professionals sat for an hour at an early morning committee hearing in mid-March, waiting their turn to speak out against a bill. One drove two hours to attend. Neither got a chance to talk.

Legislators aren’t supposed to attack each others’ motives during debate, but the niche procedural rule has become a tool for the Republican supermajority.

The annual Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC, has wrapped in Grapevine, Texas. The event included speeches from Texas officials — including Gov. Greg Abbott, Attorney General Ken Paxton and Sen. Mayes Middleton — all current candidates for statewide office.

The U.S. House of Representatives adjourned until Wednesday after Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., failed three times to secure the votes needed to become speaker.

The impact five unaffiliated candidates could have in the Colorado legislature could be minimal, however.