UPDATE: Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer Drops Out of Race for House speaker
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Tom Emmer abruptly abandoned his bid to become House speaker Tuesday, withdrawing hours after winning the internal party nomination once it became clear he would not have enough support from GOP colleagues for the gavel.
The House GOP whip, Emmer reversed course after Donald Trump objected to his nomination and hardliners in the House denied the party leader the votes he would need for the gavel. That’s according to Republican sources familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it.
He is the third Republican to fall short, leaving the Republicans no closer to resolving the chaos they have created since ousting Kevin McCarthy at the start of the month.
Emmer briskly left the building where he had been meeting privately with Republicans, and hopped into a waiting SUV. He said nothing in response to shouted questions as they drove off from the Capitol complex.
Dejected Republicans retreated behind closed doors, desperately searching for a way out of the chaos they have created.
Three weeks after Republicans ousted Kevin McCarthy, throwing the House into turmoil, they appear no closer to ending the bitter infighting and choosing a new speaker who can credibly unite the GOP majority, lead the party and get the U.S. Congress working again.
“We’re in the same cul-de-sac,” said Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., the chairman of the far-right House Freedom Caucus.
Emmer of Minnesota, who is the party’s third-ranking Republican as the GOP whip, had jumped out in front during private morning balloting among a hodgepodge list of mostly lesser-known congressmen aspiring to be speaker, a powerful position second in line to the presidency.
But no sooner did Emmer win the majority vote of his colleagues than his nomination was shot down by a powerful detractor he had tried to win over — Trump, the Republican front-runner for the 2024 presidential election, who has long criticized the party’s former campaign chief as disloyal.
While Emmer won a simple majority in a roll call behind closed doors — 117 votes — he lost more than two dozen Republicans, leaving him far short of what will be needed during a House floor tally ahead.
**original story below**
WASHINGTON – Republicans have picked Minnesota 6th District Rep. Tom Emmer as their nominee for House speaker. The nominee now goes to the full House for a vote. House Republicans were meeting privately to try nominating a new House speaker.
It’s three weeks since Republicans ousted Kevin McCarthy. The House speaker will need to accomplish the seemingly impossible job of uniting the GOP majority. Emmer of Minnesota jumped ahead as the top vote-getter on early round ballots and was battling Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana on a fifth ballot.
Others are dropping out including Florida newcomer Byron Donalds, who’s aligned with Donald Trump, and Kevin Hern of Oklahoma. The nominee will also need to win a majority in a House floor vote.
