Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer poised to lead GOP charge in upcoming elections

Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer selected as next GOP nominee for speaker

House Republicans have chosen Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., as their third nominee for speaker in as many weeks. Emmer, who currently serves as the House GOP Whip, narrowly won the nomination on a secret ballot. However, he faces the same challenges as the previous two speaker candidates and ousted speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., and it is unclear if the party will rally behind him.

Background

The nomination of Tom Emmer comes after House Republicans completely restarted the nominating process, three weeks after a vote to oust then-Speaker McCarthy threw the chamber into disarray. Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan were both named the party’s nominee but failed to secure enough support to succeed on the floor. Until a speaker is elected, the House is unable to move legislation on the floor to provide aid to Israel and Ukraine or fund the government past Nov. 17.

Emmer’s Challenges

Despite Emmer’s leadership position as the House GOP Whip, he may face resistance from conservative hardliners in the conference. Unlike his rival, Jim Jordan, Emmer is not closely aligned with former President Trump. He voted to certify the 2020 election results, making him less embraced by Trump and his supporters. Additionally, Emmer’s current position in leadership could make him a target for members who are calling for a fresh face or a complete leadership reset.

Division within the Republican Party

The nomination vote revealed the division within the Republican Party. Approximately 20 members voted against Emmer’s bid. While some members, like Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., were initially opposed to Emmer’s nomination but are now supporting him, others like Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., remain staunchly opposed. Banks stated that nominating Emmer would betray conservative values.

Trump’s Opposition

In a potential blow to Emmer’s candidacy, former President Trump called him a “RINO” (Republican in Name Only) on his social media platform, Truth Social. Trump, who initially claimed he would stay out of the speaker’s race, wrote that Emmer is “totally out-of-touch with Republican Voters” and supporting him would be a “tragic mistake.” Trump ally Steve Bannon also attacked Emmer on his podcast, calling him essentially a Democrat.

The Next Steps

It remains uncertain whether Emmer will move his nomination to the floor or continue working to flip votes. Some members, like Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., have introduced a Unity Pledge, urging colleagues to put their differences aside and come together to support whoever becomes the party nominee when their nomination comes to the floor. This move is an attempt to restore unity in the fractured Republican Party and ensure a successful vote for the eventual speaker.

As this is a developing story, further updates will follow.