Hours after earning the Republican nomination for speaker, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) has withdrawn from the race. Although he emerged as the victor after the House Republican conferenced voted over several rounds, it became quite clear from the start that Emmer did not have the votes. Twenty-six Republicans expressed their opposition to Emmer, including and especially Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN).
It wasn't just his fellow House Republicans who were vehemently opposed to Emmer, but former and potentially future President Donald Trump. Days prior, POLITICO reported that Trump was opposed to an Emmer speakership, but Trump really sealed the deal with a TruthSocial post on Tuesday afternoon, not long after Emmer briefly became the nominee.
Emmer is the third Republican to fail to earn the gavel after becoming the Republican nominee, and he isn't the first nominee to drop out before a full House floor vote could take place. Although House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) earned the nomination earlier this month, he withdrew a day later. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) was next, but he was dropped as the nominee after he failed to gain enough support during three floor votes.
Such chaos has taken place in the House, where Republicans narrowly control the chamber, after eight Republicans joined with all Democrats to vote in favor of Rep. Matt Gaetz's (R-FL) motion to vacate the chair in order to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as speaker.
Not only have social media users been particularly vocal over X as it applies to people's distaste for Emmer having been the nominee, but also when it comes to how this affects the MAGA wing of the Republican Party.
MAGA is imploding and I’m here for it. 😂🍿😂🍿 pic.twitter.com/1JjMsgQfMd
— 🎃Kristi🎃 (@TheyCallMeNans) October 24, 2023
As for who might be next, it looks like some old names will once more run. Several other candidates had run against Emmer this round, including Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK) who chairs the Republican Study Committee. Reps. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Mike Johnson (R-LA) are also "expected' to run again.
HERN spox tells me he is back in running for the gavel
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) October 24, 2023
Reps. Hern, Donalds and Johnson are all expected to make a play for the gavel again, sources tell me https://t.co/JqHMm1StNn
— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) October 24, 2023
The process may be different, though, as Republicans scramble to find their fourth nominee. According to CNN, which cited Rep. Lance Gooden (R-TX), the conference may suspend the conference rules so as to skip the forum and have another election to select the speaker nominee.
It's been three weeks to the day that McCarthy was ousted by those eight Republicans and all House Democrats.
WHAT NOW?
— Melanie Zanona (@MZanona) October 24, 2023
Rep. Lance Gooden tells @mkraju they’re discussing suspending conference rules so they can skip the candidate forum and just have another election for speaker nominee
Widely expected that Rep. Mike Johnson will get back into race; talk of other potential names as well