The latest GOP pick for House speaker has dropped out just hours after winning the nomination.
Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota, the majority whip, will not seek the gavel on the House floor after failing to win over roughly two dozen Republican holdouts, GOP aides said Tuesday.
Mr. Emmer dropped out shortly after he was denounced by former President Donald Trump, who wields considerable sway over the party.
Mr. Trump called Mr. Emmer a RINO, or Republican in name only, and said electing him speaker “would be a tragic mistake.”
Republican lawmakers will meet again Tuesday to pick a new nominee. The leading candidate is GOP Conference Vice Chairman Mike Johnson of Louisiana, who can likely earn the support of the conservative holdouts who refused to back Mr. Emmer.
Republican Study Committee Chairman Kevin Hern of Oklahoma is also seeking the nomination. Mr. Johnson and Mr. Hern placed second and third, respectively, to Mr. Emmer when lawmakers voted earlier in the day.
SEE ALSO: As House Republicans fight over speaker’s gavel, their majority erodes in court
Mr. Emmer is the third speaker this month knocked out of the running. Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio also fell short of the 217 GOP votes needed to win the gavel in a House floor vote.
The House has been without a speaker since Oct. 3, when eight conservatives voted with all Democrats to remove Rep. Kevin McCarthy, California Republican, from the position.
• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
• Kerry Picket can be reached at kpicket@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.