The race for the position of House speaker among Republicans has been a tumultuous one, with multiple candidates vying for the role. Tom Emmer, the highest-ranking Republican in the speaker race, emerged as a strong contender, receiving an endorsement from former House speaker Representative Kevin McCarthy.[0] Emmer, who has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2015 and is currently serving his fifth term, won the nomination for speaker in a secret ballot vote.[1] However, his pathway to securing the necessary 217 votes to be elected on the House floor seemed virtually impossible, as 26 members expressed their intention to vote against him in a non-secret roll call vote.[1]
Republicans hold a slim majority of 221-212 in the House, meaning that the eventual speaker would need to garner support from almost the entire conference, assuming all Democrats vote for their leader, Hakeem Jeffries of New York.[1] The selection of Emmer as the nominee was met with some opposition from former President Donald Trump's orbit. Despite being a clear Trump supporter in the past, Emmer's absence of an endorsement for Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and alleged encouragement of GOP candidates to distance themselves from Trump during the 2022 election caused tension with Trump's allies. Emmer's allies, however, have tried to counter this anti-Trump narrative by highlighting his support for Trump's previous presidential bids.
Emmer's bid for speaker ultimately came to an abrupt end when he dropped out of the race just hours after securing the nomination.[2] Trump and several Republican lawmakers expressed opposition to his candidacy.[3] With Emmer out of the race, Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana emerged as a frontrunner for the position. Johnson, the vice chairman of the House Republican conference, previously lost to Emmer in the nomination vote but is now poised to make a second run.[4] Another candidate likely to enter the race is Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma.
Emmer, known for being a more moderate member of GOP leadership, faced criticism from some MAGA lawmakers for his votes on issues such as upholding the 2020 election result, codifying same-sex marriage rights, and providing aid to Ukraine.[5] Despite these criticisms, Emmer had voted against impeaching Trump in 2019 and 2021, and he thanked Trump on social media for recent comments made about him.[6]
The selection process for a new Republican nominee for speaker has been marred by divisions within the party. In the first secret ballot vote, 30 House Republicans voted for a candidate who was not among the officially declared candidates.[7] This suggests that the eventual nominee may face opposition from a sizable contingent of Republicans on the House floor.
It has been three weeks since Kevin McCarthy was removed as the speaker, leaving the House without a leader.[8] McCarthy was unseated when a small group of renegade Republicans voted against keeping him in the position.[8] The ongoing struggle to elect a speaker has caused legislative paralysis and further turmoil within the House. If Johnson fails to secure enough support, Republicans will once again be back to the drawing board in their search for a speaker.[9]
The House is set to vote on Johnson's nomination at noon on Wednesday.[10] Johnson expressed his commitment to restoring trust in the government and moving forward quickly. He emphasized the unity of the House Republican majority and expressed confidence in their ability to govern effectively.[11]
The selection of a new House speaker among Republicans has proven to be a challenging process, filled with political maneuvering and divisions within the party. As the House prepares for the vote on Johnson's nomination, the outcome remains uncertain, and the future of Republican leadership in the House hangs in the balance.
0. “What to know about Tom Emmer, the latest House speaker nominee” The Boston Globe, 24 Oct. 2023, https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/10/24/nation/tom-emmer-house-speaker-nominee/
1. “Tom Emmer withdraws US House speaker bid hours after nomination” The Guardian US, 24 Oct. 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/oct/24/tom-emmer-withdraws-bid-house-speaker
2. “Who are the Republicans running for House speaker? Here are the candidates” CBS News, 25 Oct. 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/9-republican-candidates-running-for-house-speaker
3. “Tom Emmer drops out of contention for House speaker, hours after winning GOP nomination” CNBC, 24 Oct. 2023, https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/24/house-gop-speaker-vote.html
4. “Republicans Pick Rep. Mike Johnson for Speaker After Tom Emmer Drops Bid” The Daily Beast, 25 Oct. 2023, https://www.thedailybeast.com/tom-emmer-drops-speaker-bid-after-trump-knifes-him
5. “Who Is Tom Emmer? Here’s What To Know About The New GOP Speaker Nominee Endorsed By McCarthy But Criticized By Trump Allies.” Forbes, 24 Oct. 2023, https://www.forbes.com/sites/saradorn/2023/10/24/who-is-tom-emmer-heres-what-to-know-about-the-house-speaker-frontrunner-endorsed-by-mccarthy-but-criticized-by-trump-allies/
6. “Minnesota U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer drops out of House speaker race” Star Tribune, 24 Oct. 2023, https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-u-s-rep-tom-emmer-wins-gop-nomination-for-house-speaker/600314411/
7. “Live updates: The latest on the House speaker race” CNN, 25 Oct. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/house-speaker-vote-10-24-23/index.html
8. “Will US Republicans finally elect a House speaker nominee?” Al Jazeera English, 24 Oct. 2023, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/10/24/will-us-republicans-finally-elect-a-house-speaker-nominee
9. “Republicans pick Mike Johnson as latest House Speaker nominee” BBC.com, 25 Oct. 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-67213205
10. “Speaker update: Rep. Mike Johnson, is the latest speaker contender” NPR, 25 Oct. 2023, https://www.npr.org/2023/10/24/1208372102/house-enters-22nd-day-without-a-speaker-with-a-new-nominee-for-the-job
11. “Fleischmann eliminated from speaker race in first evening ballot” Roll Call , 25 Oct. 2023, https://rollcall.com/2023/10/24/gop-tries-again-to-unite-behind-speaker-nominee/
