Topline
Former President Donald Trump finally came out publicly against House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) hours after the relatively moderate Republican won his party’s nomination for House speaker, labeling a vote for him a “tragic mistake,” further dividing the GOP amid weeks of infighting that have left the House speakerless.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) won the GOP nomination for speaker, but faces pushback from … [+]
Key Facts
Trump, who had reportedly been making calls within the GOP in opposition to an Emmer speakership, called the fourth-term Republican a “RINO” (Republican in name only) in a scathing post on his social media platform Truth Social just hours after Emmer won the GOP’s nomination in the fifth round of voting Tuesday, reiterating one of Trump’s most commonly used criticisms of moderate Republicans and GOP opponents.
The former president also argued Emmer “never respected the Power of a Trump Endorsement, or the breadth and scope of MAGA,” claiming Emmer is “out of touch with Republican voters” (Emmer has not endorsed Trump’s 2024 presidential bid and reportedly encouraged Republican candidates in the 2022 midterm elections to distance themselves from the former president, though Emmer denied that allegation in a Fox News interview, calling Trump a “fantastic ally”).
Trump, an ally of far-right Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio)—who was removed as the GOP’s speaker nominee after three failed speaker votes last week—added he has “many wonderful friends” seeking the speakership, including “truly great Warriors.”
Trump did not name any of the candidates he said he supports from a list of seven contenders, including Reps. Mike Johnson (R-La.), Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), Pete Sessions (R-Texas), Jack Bergman (R-Mich.) and Austin Scott (R-Ga.).
Key Background
Emmer, an ally of ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and the No. 3 Republican in the House, was one of only two GOP speaker candidates—along with Scott—who voted on January 6, 2021, to certify the results of Trump’s election loss, though he had remained open to Trump’s baseless election denial in the wake of Trump’s loss to President Joe Biden. Following that election, Emmer called out “questionable election practices,” echoing right-wing skepticism over vote-counting practices in swing states, though he did not provide any evidence for the claim. Despite reports the Minnesota Republican had privately come under fire in recent weeks from Trump and his allies, however, representatives close to Emmer told Politico this week that the Trump-Emmer rift is concocted.
News Peg
Emmer won 117 votes from GOP House members in the party’s fifth round of voting on Tuesday, beating Johnson, who received 97 votes. Emmer still needs another 100 votes in a House vote to become speaker and could face pushback from far-right Republicans, including the group of eight who joined all Democrats present earlier this month to oust McCarthy. Democrats, meanwhile, have formed a solid block in rejecting GOP nominees for House speaker, voting instead for Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.).
Tangent
The Minnesota Republican had been considered a front-runner in the speaker race, and had initially been speculated to throw his hat in the ring after McCarthy was removed as speaker, though he declined to run at first, setting up a two-way battle between Jordan and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), who later dropped out of the race. During his seven years in Congress, Emmer has climbed the ranks within the Republican party, working on key GOP initiatives including the Parents Bill of Rights, which requires public schools to give parents information on children’s curriculum and border security. He has also distanced himself from the far-right bloc of the GOP, supporting aid to Ukraine and voting late last month to avert a government shutdown despite calls from members of the House Freedom Caucus to make sweeping budget cuts.
Further Reading
Emmer Wins GOP Speaker Nomination—But Is 100 Votes Short Of Majority Needed To Win Gavel (Forbes)
Meet The GOP Speaker Frontrunners—Emmer, Hern, Donalds And Scott—After Jordan Exits Race (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/10/24/trump-bashes-gop-speaker-nominee-emmer-tragic-mistake/