"We cannot have a government shutdown," Mitch McConnell, said. "It would be politically beyond stupid for us to do that right before the election."

WASHINGTON—An initial proposal by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) to fund the government was voted down Wednesday, underscoring the divisions within the Republican Party but potentially setting the stage for talks with Democrats on avoiding a partial government shutdown at the end of the month.

The House on Wednesday appeared poised to reject Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan to fund the government for six months, cranking up tensions around a fast-approaching government shutdown deadline not only throughout Congress,