WASHINGTON (CN) — House Republicans’ latest gambit to fill the vacant speakership was dead before happy hour Tuesday, as Congressman Tom Emmer bowed out of the race just hours after his colleagues voted to nominate him for the lower chamber’s top job.
The Minnesota congressman is the third GOP speaker candidate to throw in the towel over the last several weeks. His departure comes days after Ohio Representative Jim Jordan, the caucus’s last nominee, abandoned his own bid for the speakership.
Emmer’s departure came soon after former President Donald Trump issued a blistering attack against the speaker-designate, writing on his social media platform Truth Social that the congressman “is totally out-of-touch with Republican Voters.”
The Minnesota Republican was elected Tuesday morning during a closed-door conference meeting, during which he secured the support of 117 of 221 House Republicans. 97 caucus members cast ballots for Louisiana Representative Mike Johnson, and five lawmakers voted for other candidates. One Republican voted present.
The GOP caucus must now meet again to select a new speaker candidate. Johnson and Oklahoma Congressman Kevin Hern are two likely contenders. A vote had yet to take place as of Tuesday afternoon.
Emmer, who currently serves as the House majority whip, is House Republicans’ third speaker candidate in as many weeks. As one of the lower chamber’s top Republicans, he was the favorite to take over the mantle of speaker-designate from Ohio Congressman Jordan — who stepped away from his candidacy late last week.
This most recent rout further cements the GOP’s struggle to rally around single candidate to replace former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, ousted earlier this month amid a right-wing mutiny
The conference voted Friday to remove Jordan as speaker-designate after he lost a third consecutive vote on the House floor, just a week after House Republicans nominated the Ohio congressman to take over for House Majority Leader Steve Scalise.
The Louisiana congressman backed down from his own speaker bid even before votes could be cast.
Any would-be Republican speaker achieve majority support in the House — at least 217 of their GOP colleagues. The candidate can only afford to lose around four GOP votes, assuming all 212 House Democrats cast their ballots along party lines.
The speakership has been vacant for close to a month since McCarthy’s ouster. The former Republican leader was forced out after a group of hardline caucus members, accusing him of walking back promises to conservative lawmakers, initiated a vote to strip McCarthy of his position.
Without a permanent speaker, the House is effectively paralyzed, unable to vote on bills or resolutions — such as budget legislation necessary to avert a government shutdown in mid-November.
North Carolina Congressman Patrick McHenry currently presides over the lower chamber in an acting capacity. A push by some House Republicans last week to empower the temporary speaker and allow congressional business to continue died on the vine.
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