Tom Emmer drops House speaker bid sending GOP back to square one: Live

Gustaf Kilander
·27 min read
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Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s speaker bid lasted only four hours before he dropped out in the face of steadfast opposition from a number of rightwing members of the House Republican conference.

Mr Emmer won the nomination on Tuesday for speaker after five rounds of internal voting, but it quickly became clear that he wouldn’t reach the 217 votes needed on the floor of the House.

This comes after Donald Trump voiced his unhappiness with the result of the latest ballot to decide who would be the Republican Party nominee for Speaker of the House.

The former president posted on Truth Social, attacking Mr Emmer as a “Globalist RINO”.

Mr Emmer, who joined the House after winning his seat in 2014 after spending six years in the state legislature and losing a tight race for Minnesota governor in 2010, won the first round of voting for the speaker nomination after receiving 78 votes, with Mr Johnson coming in second with 34 votes.

Mr Emmer’s lead grew in the second round, gaining 12 votes. Mr Johnson remained in second, gaining three votes. In the third ballot, Mr Emmer got 100 votes, 107 on the fourth, and finally 117 on the fifth.

Key Points

Emmer tried and failed to win Trump over

12:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Rep Tom Emmer worked hard in the last few days to overcome the notion that he hasn’t been sufficiently supportive of Mr Trump. However, his efforts appear to have been in vain.

Those close to Mr Trump began sniping at the Minnesota lawmaker in the media on Friday, with far-right outlet Real America’s Voice declaring that Mr Emmer is “Nancy Pelosi in a suit”.

A former chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee in the 2020 and 2022 cycle, Mr Emmer worked to recruit many of the Republicans who helped Republicans flip the House. But Republicans still chronically underperformed despite winning back the majority in 2022.

Mr Emmer and his staff worked overtime over the weekend making calls, including one to Mr Trump. The call between Mr Trump and Mr Emmer has been described as cordial, even as Mr Trump has been telling associates that he doesn’t want Mr Emmer as speaker, bothered by his vote to certify the 2020 election and believing that he hasn’t been sufficiently defending him in public amidst his broadening legal woes.

The former president is also reported to be annoyed at Mr Emmer for giving the advice ahead of the 2022 midterms that GOP candidates should avoid focusing on Mr Trump during their campaigns.

“Will you endorse Emmer? He hasn’t always been your biggest fan…” a reporter asked Mr Trump in New Hampshire on Monday.

“He’s my biggest fan now because he called me yesterday and told me he’s my biggest fan so… I’m trying to stay out of that as much as possible,” Mr Trump said. He is reported to have spoken to several candidates for speaker over the weekend.

Mr Emmer shared a clip on X of Mr Trump mentioning their phone call at the weekend in an attempt to assuage his caucus that he has a good “working relationship” with Mr Trump.

“If my colleagues elect me Speaker of the House, I look forward to continuing our strong working relationship,” Mr Emmer wrote on X on Monday.

A spokesperson for Mr Emmer told Politico that “Whip Emmer worked hand in hand with President Trump to help House Republicans fire Nancy Pelosi and retake the majority”.

“If he becomes Speaker, Whip Emmer looks forward to continuing that productive relationship,” the spokesperson added.

Republicans’ search for speaker endangering foreign aid and government funding

11:00 , Gustaf Kilander and Eric Garcia

Republicans are hoping to appoint a new speaker this week in the face of government funding running out on 17 November and President Joe Biden asking Congress for more than $100bn to help both Ukraine and Israel.

“People are locked in, he’s explaining his position,” Rep Tim Burchett of Tennessee told The Independent before Mr Emmer ended his bid. “I would hope that he can get in the room with just those people that are holding out and that would be the way to go.”

Mr Burchett was one of eight Republicans who joined every Democrat to remove Mr McCarthy, but he voted for Mr Emmer.

“He’s the overwhelming vote-getter,” Mr Burchett said of Mr Emmer.

FULL STORY: Rep Mike Johnson becomes fourth GOP House speaker nominee in two weeks

10:00 , Rachel Sharp

Rep Mike Johnson is now the latest lawmaker to secure the GOP nomination for the next House speaker – becoming the fourth nominee in just two weeks as the Republican party remains wracked by infighting and an inability to unite around a candidate.

The Louisiana congressman was picked by his party on Tuesday night, just hours after the third nominee Tom Emmer abruptly pulled out.

With just 128 votes in a secret closed-door session, he – like the previous three nominees – still has a major uphill battle to secure the 217 votes needed to take the gavel.

Speaking to reporters after he secured the nomination, Mr Johnson brushed off the chaos as Republicans clamour to find a new speaker.

“Democracy is messy sometimes, but it is our system,” he said. “This House Republican majority is united.”

Read the full story:

Rep Mike Johnson becomes fourth GOP House speaker nominee in two weeks

Mike Johnson is latest lawmaker to secure the GOP nomination

09:26 , Rachel Sharp

Rep Mike Johnson is now the latest lawmaker to secure the GOP nomination for the next House speaker – becoming the fourth nominee in just two weeks as the Republican party remains wracked by infighting and an inability to unite around a single candidate.

The Louisiana congressman was picked by his party on Tuesday night, just hours after the third nominee Tom Emmer abruptly pulled out.

With just 128 votes in a secret closed-door session, he – like the previous three nominees – still has a major uphill battle to secure the 217 votes needed to take the gavel.

Mr Emmer’s speaker bid lasted only four hours before he dropped out in the face of steadfast opposition from Donald Trump allies.

The former president attacked Mr Emmer as a “Globalist RINO” in a Truth Social post.

He then later tried to claim credit for “killing” Mr Emmer’s bid.

Emmer win House seat in 2014

09:00 , Gustaf Kilander and Eric Garcia

Rep Tom Emmer, who joined the House after winning his seat in 2014 after spending six years in the state legislature and losing a tight race for Minnesota governor in 2010, won the first round of voting for the speaker nomination after receiving 78 votes, with Mr Johnson coming in second with 34 votes.

Mr Emmer’s lead grew in the second round, gaining 12 votes. Mr Johnson remained in second, gaining three votes. In the third ballot, Mr Emmer got 100 votes, 107 on the fourth, and finally 117 on the fifth.

The GOP spent hours behind closed doors in a candidate forum on Monday night.

Nine candidates put themselves forward as possible options – Mr Donalds, Mr Johnson, Jack Bergman, Mr Hern, Dan Meuser, Gary Palmer, Pete Sessions, Austin Scott, and Mr Emmer.

Trump says Emmer ‘never respected the Power of a Trump Endorsement'

08:00 , Gustaf Kilander and Eric Garcia

Shortly after Mr Emmer received the backing of fellow Republican congressmen, former President Donald Trump – who had spent the day sitting in a New York courtroom where he is accused of fraud – launched a furious attack on him.

Mr Trump wrote on his social media platform: “I have many wonderful friends wanting to be Speaker of the House, and some are truly great Warriors. RINO Tom Emmer, who I do not know well, is not one of them. He never respected the Power of a Trump Endorsement, or the breadth and scope of MAGA—MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

He added: “I believe he has now learned his lesson, because he is saying that he is Pro-Trump all the way, but who can ever be sure? Has he only changed because that’s what it takes to win? The Republican Party cannot take that chance, because that’s not where the America First Voters are. Voting for a Globalist RINO like Tom Emmer would be a tragic mistake!”

GOP Majority Whip Tom Emmer drops speaker bid after four hours

07:00 , Gustaf Kilander and Eric Garcia

Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s speaker bid lasted only four hours before he dropped out in the face of steadfast opposition from a number of right-wing members of the House Republican conference.

Mr Emmer won the nomination on Tuesday for speaker after five rounds of internal voting, but it quickly became clear that he wouldn’t reach the 217 votes needed on the floor of the House.

Mr Emmer and Rep Mike Johnson were the final two in the internal ballot after Rep Kevin Hern was booted in the fourth round and Rep Byron Donalds dropped out voluntarily.

READ MORE

Wrestling abuse dogged Jim Jordan’s House speaker run. A new film could be a ‘game changer’

06:00 , Bevan Hurley

Amajor documentary on the Ohio State University (OSU) sexual abuse scandal that is expected to renew attention on then-OSU coach and now Republican Congressman Jim Jordan is currently in the middle of production.

The untitled Max (HBO) film, produced by George Clooney and directed by Academy Award-winner Eva Orner, will tell the story of decades of abuse by former OSU sports doctor Richard Strauss through the eyes of victims “including All American wrestlers and football players, many of whom have not spoken out until now”, the streaming site said in a statement last year.

A staffer at Clooney’s production house Smokehouse Pictures told The Independent they were “still thick in production on it”.

Attention on the scandal intensified in recent weeks as Jordan began his ill-fated run for House Speaker, only to be cast aside by the same chaotic forces he helped to foster within the party. Mr Jordan has denied any knowledge of the abuse by Strauss, despite numerous witnesses stating they discussed it with him directly.

Several victims have since gone on record to say that Mr Jordan’s alleged participation in the culture of silence that enabled Strauss’ abuse to go unpunished should have disqualified him from the speakership.

READ MORE

Who is Tom Emmer?

05:00 , Ariana Baio

Thomas “Tom” Emmer has proven himself to be a traditional and reliable conservative, chairing the National Republican Congressional Committee for four years and being elected the House majority whip in 2022.

The 62-year-old was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2015 to represent Minnesota’s 6th District. He serves on the Committee on Financial Services as well as two subcommittees, one on Capital Markets and the other on Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Inclusion.

Prior to holding national office, Mr Emmer served in Minnesota’s State House of Representatives for six years during which he made an unsuccessful bid for governor – losing by less than 10,000 votes.

He’s been married to his wife Jacqueline for 37 years and the couple have seven children.

Mr Emmer is one of the lesser-known members of his caucus because he’s relatively quiet compared to some of his far-right colleagues.

Notably, while many Republicans were predicting a “red wave” during the last US midterm elections, Mr Emmer was sounding a note of caution telling colleagues, “Don’t be measuring the drapes.”

But despite appearing more laid back, Mr Emmer’s legislative track record is deeply loyal to his party on nearly all fronts.

Mr Emmer has backed legislation that supports parental rights, loosens environmental protections (he has doubted scientific evidence of the climate crisis), is anti-abortion and eases firearm restrictions. He also supported bringing articles of impeachment against President Joe Biden.

Though Mr Emmer voted to certify the 2020 results after Mr Trump’s false claims that the election had been stolen, he has also defended former president Donald Trump when he faced federal indictment over the Jan 6 riots at the US Capitol.

The issues Mike Johnson might run into following Emmer’s fall

04:00 , Gustaf Kilander

‘The House Republican chaos, disfunction and extremism has reached a new level,’ Jeffries says

03:15 , Gustaf Kilander

‘They should just pick a Speaker and move on,’ Christie says

02:30 , John Bowden

Chris Christie berated members of his own party for their failure to elect a Speaker of the House on Monday as the GOP enters its fourth week of chaos in the lower chamber.

“We’ve gone through two nominees of the party since Kevin McCarthy. It’s an embarrassment ... to the country and the party,” said Mr Christie.

“We need a House of Representatives that functions,” he added. “They should just pick a Speaker and move on.”

He did not spare Democrats from criticism, noting that the chamber’s minority had refused to vote for Mr McCarthy and save him from an intra-party rebellion of his own creation. Democrats, he argued, “contributed to the problem” and argued that they along with eight Republicans had fired Mr McCarthy “without cause”.

‘I only had 8 against me,’ McCarthy says after 26 vote no in Emmer roll call

01:45 , Gustaf Kilander

‘He was a RINO’: Trump comes out swinging against Emmer

01:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Former President Donald Trump slammed Rep Tom Emmer, saying “He was not a supporter. I mean, he was a RINO”.

‘I wouldn’t be shocked if this ended in an actual fistfight between Banks and Emmer'

Wednesday 25 October 2023 00:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Rep Jim Banks said that his opposition to Rep Tom Emmer as speaker is “all about policy. there are big policy differences. So I’m a conservative, he’s not, I’m not going to vote to put someone who’s not a conservative in the Speaker’s chair”, according to the Washington Examiner.

A Republican aide told the paper: “I wouldn’t be shocked if this ended in an actual fistfight between Banks and Emmer. Put my money on the hockey dad.”

Trump called Emmer ‘outstanding’ in August 2022

Tuesday 24 October 2023 23:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Christie lashes out at House GOP ‘embarrassment’ over speaker chaos

Tuesday 24 October 2023 22:45 , John Bowden

Chris Christie berated members of his own party for their failure to elect a Speaker of the House on Monday as the GOP enters its fourth week of chaos in the lower chamber.

The GOP presidential candidate appeared on MSNBC where he urged the chamber to pick a Republican and unify around them before the essential functions of government were threatened by the stalemate.

As of Tuesday, the Republicans seemed no closer to selecting a leader. GOP Majority Whip Tom Emmer was nominated by his caucus in a closed-door session only to see his bid begin dissolving minutes later, with more than two dozen holdouts materialising against him. Potentially his greatest opponent: Donald Trump, the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination, who denounced Mr Emmer in a social media posting on Tuesday.

Mr Christie, who has hinged his bid for the Republican nomination on a total repudiation of the far right and Donald Trump, took aim at that chaos the evening prior.

“We’ve gone through two nominees of the party since Kevin McCarthy. It’s an embarrassment ... to the country and the party,” said Mr Christie.

READ MORE

VOICES: Tom Emmer was doomed before his speaker bid even began

Tuesday 24 October 2023 22:01 , Eric Garcia

Good evening and welcome to the 21st day of the House Republican speaker thunderdome!

The latest victim: House Majority Whip Tom Emmer.

The Minnesota Republican barely got to enjoy the fact he emerged out of a nine-man (and only men ran for the office) Royal Rumble to win the House GOP conference’s nomination to be speaker of the House before he ultimately ended his bid. This came three weeks to the day since Rep Matt Gaetz (R-FL) turned the House of Representatives into Mojo Dojo Casa House and booted Kevin McCarthy.

After an all-night candidate forum on Monday and a process of elimination ballot in the Longworth House Office Building, Mr Emmer emerged as the winner.

On paper, he should be a perfect choice for the gavel. An ally of Mr McCarthy, he led the National Republican Congressional Committee in 2020 when they significantly weakened Democrats’ majority in the House and finished the job in 2022. As whip, he should ostensibly be a good vote counter.

READ MORE

Several people said they won’t back Emmer under any circumstances

Tuesday 24 October 2023 22:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Republican who voted out McCarthy calls for end to Emmer speaker bid

Tuesday 24 October 2023 21:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Emmer leaves ongoing conference meeting

Tuesday 24 October 2023 21:25 , Gustaf Kilander

‘He was a RINO’: Trump comes out swinging against Emmer

Tuesday 24 October 2023 21:13 , Gustaf Kilander

Former President Donald Trump slammed Rep Tom Emmer, saying “He was not a supporter. I mean, he was a RINO”.

‘Buzz’ about Mike Johnson as speaker hours after Emmer nomination

Tuesday 24 October 2023 21:08 , Gustaf Kilander

Banks and Greene come out against Emmer after Trump trashes speaker nominee

Tuesday 24 October 2023 21:00 , Gustaf Kilander

‘We need a vegetable that wilts faster than a head of lettuce'

Tuesday 24 October 2023 20:43 , Gustaf Kilander

‘He’s the overwhelming vote-getter'

Tuesday 24 October 2023 20:40 , Eric Garcia

There are a number of holdouts that Mr Emmer will have to attempt to win over, including a number of allies of former President Donald Trump. Mr Meuser said that Mr Emmer has about “10 holdouts,” according to Politico.

With only 221 members in a body of 433--the House has two vacancies--Mr Emmer can only lose four.

“People are locked in, he’s explaining his position,” Rep Tim Burchett of Tennessee told The Independent after the vote. “ I would hope that he can get in the room with just those people that are holding out and that would be the way to go.”

Mr Burchett was one of eight Republicans who joined every Democrat to remove Mr McCarthy, but he voted for Mr Emmer.

“He’s the overwhelming vote-getter,” Mr Burchett said of Mr Emmer.

Trump slams ‘Globalist RINO’ Tom Emmer after winning speaker nomination

Tuesday 24 October 2023 20:21 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump voiced his unhappiness with the result of the latest ballot to decide who would be the Republican Party nominee for Speaker of the House.

As the lunch break drew to a close at his civil trial for fraud in New York, the former president posted on Truth Social, attacking Minnesota Rep Tom Emmer as a “Globalist RINO”.

Mr Trump wrote: “I have many wonderful friends wanting to be Speaker of the House, and some are truly great Warriors. RINO Tom Emmer, who I do not know well, is not one of them. He never respected the Power of a Trump Endorsement, or the breadth and scope of MAGA—MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

He continued: “He fought me all the way, and actually spent more time defending Ilhan Omar, than he did me—He is totally out-of-touch with Republican Voters. I believe he has now learned his lesson, because he is saying that he is Pro-Trump all the way, but who can ever be sure? Has he only changed because that’s what it takes to win?”

The former president concluded: “The Republican Party cannot take that chance, because that’s not where the America First Voters are. Voting for a Globalist RINO like Tom Emmer would be a tragic mistake!”

READ MORE

Emmer may move to the floor for a vote of the full House later on Tuesday

Tuesday 24 October 2023 20:15 , Gustaf Kilander

The GOP spent hours behind closed doors in a candidate forum on Monday night.

Nine candidates put themselves forward as possible options – Mr Donalds, Mr Johnson, Jack Bergman, Mr Hern, Dan Meuser, Gary Palmer, Pete Sessions, Austin Scott, and Mr Emmer.

Mr Emmer may move to the floor for a vote of the full House later on Tuesday, with his strategy for how he’ll get the support needed remaining unclear. However, his allies have said that he wishes to avoid the debacle that led to the downfall of Rep Jim Jordan, by only going to the floor after he has made sure that he has the support needed, according to Politico.

Majority Leader Steve Scalise, the first nominee following the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, chose not to go to the floor after private conversations revealed he didn’t have the required support.

‘He’s got a lot of work to do'

Tuesday 24 October 2023 20:00 , Eric Garcia

Rep Jim Banks told The Independent that Mr Emmer is “a long way away” from the speakership as of Tuesday afternoon. “He’s got a lot of work to do.”

Asked what his concerns were about Mr Emmer, he said: “I could have voted for any of the others who put themselves up today on the floor, but I can’t vote for someone who doesn’t have a conservative track record.”

GOP Majority Whip Tom Emmer wins Republican speaker nomination

Tuesday 24 October 2023 19:45 , Gustaf Kilander

GOP Majority Whip Tom Emmer has won the Republican nomination for speaker after five rounds of internal voting, but it remains unclear if he has the support needed to win a floor vote.

Mr Emmer and Rep Mike Johnson were the final two in the speaker’s race after Rep Kevin Hern was booted on the fourth round and Rep Byron Donalds dropped out voluntarily.

Mr Emmer, who joined the House after winning his seat in 2014 after spending six years in the state legislature and losing a tight race for Minnesota governor in 2010, won the first round of voting for the speaker nomination after receiving 78 votes, with Mr Johnson coming in second with 34 votes.

Mr Emmer’s lead grew in the second round, gaining 12 votes. Mr Johnson remained in second, gaining three votes. In the third ballot, Mr Emmer got 100 votes, 107 on the fourth, and finally 117 on the fifth.

READ MORE

Democratic conference chair doesn’t say if members will vote present

Tuesday 24 October 2023 19:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Nehls: ‘There’s no way he can get 217. I don’t see it’

Tuesday 24 October 2023 19:15 , Gustaf Kilander

McCarthy claims eight Republicans who ousted him were working with Democrats

Tuesday 24 October 2023 19:00 , Gustaf Kilander

26 holdouts remain as Emmer to stay in Capitol office building until he gets to 217

Tuesday 24 October 2023 18:45 , Gustaf Kilander

Patrick McHenry again brought up as possible solution

Tuesday 24 October 2023 18:30 , Gustaf Kilander

‘In trench warfare even a couple of yards can be a long way'

Tuesday 24 October 2023 18:15 , Gustaf Kilander

Emmer to keep pushing roll call votes until he gets to 217

Tuesday 24 October 2023 18:06 , Gustaf Kilander

All the winning results so far

Tuesday 24 October 2023 17:36 , Gustaf Kilander

Emmer gets fewer votes than Jordan, in for ‘tough slog'

Tuesday 24 October 2023 17:35 , Gustaf Kilander

Emmer is next nominee for speaker

Tuesday 24 October 2023 17:19 , Gustaf Kilander

Republican Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota is the next nominee for speaker after winning the fifth internal ballot, getting 117 votes to Rep Mike Johnson’s 97.

George Clooney’s doc on OSU sex abuse scandal will be a ‘game changer’

Tuesday 24 October 2023 17:00 , Bevan Hurley

Amajor documentary on the Ohio State University (OSU) sexual abuse scandal that is expected to renew attention on then-OSU coach and now Republican Congressman Jim Jordan is currently in the middle of production.

The untitled Max (HBO) film, produced by George Clooney and directed by Academy Award-winner Eva Orner, will tell the story of decades of abuse by former OSU sports doctor Richard Strauss through the eyes of victims “including All American wrestlers and football players, many of whom have not spoken out until now”, the streaming site said in a statement last year.

A staffer at Clooney’s production house Smokehouse Pictures told The Independent they were “still thick in production on it”.

Attention on the scandal intensified in recent weeks as Jordan began his ill-fated run for House Speaker, only to be cast aside by the same chaotic forces he helped to foster within the party. Mr Jordan has denied any knowledge of the abuse by Strauss, despite numerous witnesses stating they discussed it with him directly.

Several victims have since gone on record to say that Mr Jordan’s alleged participation in the culture of silence that enabled Strauss’ abuse to go unpunished should have disqualified him from the speakership.

READ MORE

Emmer gets 107 votes in fourth round

Tuesday 24 October 2023 16:56 , Gustaf Kilander

Down to Emmer and Johnson

Tuesday 24 October 2023 16:51 , Gustaf Kilander

Only Reps Tom Emmer and Mike Johnson remain after Rep Kevin Hern was booted on the fourth round and Rep Byron Donalds dropped out voluntarily, according to Politico.

Trump allies are railing against ‘anti-Trump’ Tom Emmer for speaker

Tuesday 24 October 2023 16:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Allies of former president Donald Trump have begun working to take down the speakership bid of House GOP Majority Whip Tom Emmer.

Those close to Mr Trump began sniping at the Minnesota lawmaker in the media on Friday, with far-right outlet Real America’s Voice declaring that Mr Emmer is “Nancy Pelosi in a suit”.

Mr Emmer has frantically been trying to quash the narrative that he’s not supportive of former president Donald Trump.

Mr Emmer and his staff worked overtime over the weekend making calls, including one to Mr Trump. The call between Mr Trump and Mr Emmer has been described as cordial, even as Mr Trump has been telling associates that he doesn’t want Mr Emmer as speaker, bothered by his vote to certify the 2020 election and believing that he hasn’t been sufficiently defending him in public amidst his broadening legal woes.

“Will you endorse Emmer? He hasn’t always been your biggest fan…” a reporter asked Mr Trump in New Hampshire on Monday.

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Emmer, Johnson, Donalds, and Hern head into fourth round

Tuesday 24 October 2023 16:26 , Gustaf Kilander