Republican Majority Retreats - Postpones Vote on Budget Bill

Facing defeat, House Republican leaders on Thursday abruptly called off a vote on a contentious budget-cutting bill in a striking display of the discord and political anxiety running through the party's ranks.

Despite making major concessions to moderate Republicans, House leaders failed to win enough converts to the budget plan and surrendered in midafternoon. Leading Republicans said they would try again next week to find a bare majority for more than $50 billion in spending cuts and policy changes.

"The product we had for today wasn't quite where it needs to be yet," said Representative Roy Blunt of Missouri the No. 2 Republican, who said backers of the cuts remained a "handful" of votes short.

It was a stunning retreat for a Republican majority that has prided itself on iron discipline and an ability to win even the most difficult floor votes consistently. It was set against Democratic election victories on Tuesday that left Republicans worried about the 2006 midterm contests. It was also a setback for Mr. Blunt, who is filling in as majority leader for Representative Tom DeLay and would be a candidate for the job permanently should Mr. DeLay's legal problems persist in Texas, where he is under criminal indictment.

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