The latest news this morning comes via our colleagues Olivia Beavers, Jordain Carney and Sarah Ferris, who note that McCarthy is now “punting conferencewide races for committee leadership slots until after his speaker election on Jan. 3,” which could “incapacitate Republicans during a crucial planning period, virtually guaranteeing a sluggish start for the new House majority.”

McCarthy can’t risk pissing off members who lose these races to run House Committees. 

The downside of this delay is stark: “days, if not weeks, of uncertainty for GOP committees as they begin their stint in the majority. Some of the most important panels, including those charged with tax-writing and border security, won’t be able to prepare bills, tee up hearings, or even hire staff. While some House committees already have uncontested leaders in place, those chairs won’t be able to choose their member lineup or potentially pay staff. The GOP’s subpoena power, too, will be frozen.”

Plus, deputy editor Zack Stanton and co-author Eugene Daniels recap Eugene's trip to the White House Holiday Party. 

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Raghu Manavalan is the Host and Senior Editor of POLITICO's Playbook Daily Briefing.
Jenny Ament is the Executive Producer of POLITICO Audio.