Republican Tom Emmer’s Bid For Speakership Ends After Only Four Hours
Republican Congressman Tom Emmer has dropped out of the race to become the next Speaker of the House just four hours after he won his party’s nomination, the latest sign that Republicans are no closer to electing a new speaker.
Emmer’s bid to be speaker has been on the verge of collapse since former President Donald Trump came out against the Minnesota Congressman.
“I have many wonderful friends wanting to be Speaker of the House, and some are truly great Warriors," Trump wrote on his Truth Social app. “RINO Tom Emmer, who I do not know well, is not one of them."
Several Republicans who opposed Emmer said they would not move off their opposition and loudly called for a new candidate. Emmer could have only afforded to lose four Republicans, but 26 voted against him behind closed doors, making it clear his bid would fail.
Emmer is the third failed speaker-designate House Republicans have had since the historic ousting of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House.
Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, the other two failed GOP nominees, were both forced out of the race because they were unable to win over the 217 Republicans needed to secure the Speaker’s gavel.
“Tell the GOP to make Hakeem Jeffries the Speaker of the House!”
