Republicans nominated Majority Whip Tom Emmer to replace the ousted US House speaker Tuesday, but his prospects for uniting the fractured party after weeks of chaos that have paralyzed Washington looked slim.
Congress has been at a standstill and unable to address multiple global crises, as well as the fast approaching threat of a government shutdown, since the historic dismissal of Kevin McCarthy in a right-wing rebellion on October 3.
Emmer emerged victorious from a series of secret ballots in a crowded field of potential replacements — but the House number three will still need to convince almost all of his fellow Republicans to back him in a vote on the House floor.
And the backlash against the 62-year-old establishment favorite began immediately, with as many as two dozen lawmakers — led by former president Donald Trump — indicating they would not support his bid for the gavel. Emmer is very much the party’s Plan D, with McCarthy still popular among the majority of House Republicans, and two potential replacements winning the nomination only to be humiliated as large sections of the party refused to back them in the House.
If he overcomes his critics, Emmer will be the least experienced speaker in more than a century, having never chaired a committee or held a senior leadership role for more than a few months.
And he could find himself presiding over a government shutdown unless he can cut a 2024 budget deal, favorable to his party, with much more seasoned negotiators, from Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to President Joe Biden.
He would also be expected to lead his deeply fractured conference through upcoming fights over funding for Ukraine and Israel in their conflicts with Russia and Hamas.
But he would have to win the job first, and with no vote scheduled the process remains deeply mired in uncertainty. – ‘Stop Emmer’ –
Each of the candidates pledged to back the eventual nominee, but there has been little evidence so far that Emmer has sufficient support to win 217 votes — the majority on the House floor — and seize the gavel.
The nominee can afford to lose just four Republicans and still claim the speakership if every Democrat votes against him. Only 117 of Emmer’s colleagues voted for him in the final round of balloting, according to US media — with 97 preferring his rival, Louisiana congressman Mike Johnson.
Lawmakers told reporters as they left the secret ballot that there were 26 holdouts against Emmer in a vote he called to gauge support immediately after winning the nomination.
Republicans reportedly lined up in the room to complain about the Minnesota congressman’s record of support for Ukraine aid and same-sex marriage as well as questioning his loyalty to Trump.
Like the majority of House Republicans, Emmer has baselessly sown doubt over the validity of Biden’s 2020 election win over Trump, but supporters of the former president were angered by the majority whip voting to certify the result.
“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,” Trump posted on his website Truth Social.
RINO — short for “Republican in name only” — is a disparaging label Trump uses for members of the party who fall out of his favor. – Frankie TAGGART-
