In a surprising turn of events, Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., has withdrawn from the speaker's race, despite being named the House Republicans' nominee just hours earlier.
Emmer had secured a majority of the GOP Conference votes on Tuesday morning, triumphing over six other contenders after five rounds of voting.
However, it soon became evident that Emmer lacked the necessary support to clinch an outright victory in a House-wide vote. Given the Republicans' slim majority, a GOP speaker-designate can afford to lose only four members of their own party to secure the gavel without Democratic backing.
Following Emmer's nomination, at least 25 Republicans declared they would not support him in a House floor vote. Additional GOP lawmakers suggested after the roll call that the conference needed to nominate a new candidate.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., expressed her stance on social media platform X, stating, "This morning I voted for Rep. Donalds for speaker. Followed by Rep Johnson. Rep Emmer does not have votes to be speaker and I will be unable to support him on the floor."
Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., urged GOP Conference Vice Chair Mike Johnson, R-La., and Republican Study Committee Chair Kevin Hern, R-Okla., to re-enter the race. Both had lost to Emmer earlier in the day. Rosendale voiced his opinion on X, saying, "Tom Emmer has secured the nomination but no longer has a path to secure 217 votes. Its time to get back in the room and give Kevin Hern and Mike Johnson an opportunity to get to 217!"
Former President Donald Trump also weighed in, criticizing Emmer on his Truth Social app. "I have many wonderful friends wanting to be Speaker of the House, and some are truly great Warriors," Trump wrote. "RINO Tom Emmer, who I do not know well, is not one of them."
Emmer's withdrawal marks the third time in as many weeks that House Republicans have had to find a new speaker-designate. The House has been in a state of deadlock since eight GOP lawmakers sided with all Democrats to remove ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., marking the first time in history the House has ousted its own leader.
High-profile House Republicans Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., and Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, were both compelled to exit the race due to their inability to secure the necessary 217 Republican votes for victory.
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