Tom Emmer Is Out From House of Speaker Race After Donald Trump’s Backlash: “He Would Be a Tragic Mistake”

Tom Emmer, the third nominee for the House of Speaker, dropped out of the race amid Donald Trump's backlash. Republicans have hit a new low after Trump wrote against Emmer and called him a "Globalist RINO." On Tuesday, October 24, 2023, the party first chose but immediately extracted Emmer's nomination.

He's the third in line who has lost the nomination to become Speaker of the US House of Representatives. The American attorney won the majority votes in a close-door conference ballot. But, like Jim Jordan, Emmer also failed to garner enough support, and hours later, he was out of the race. 

Despite winning votes in a secret ballot, 26 Republican lawmakers and Donald Trump refused to show support to Emmer. Consequently, the House has been left with no speaker to date, which means it is unable to function or pass any legislation. The House has been leaderless since Kevin McCarthy of California was ousted on October 3, 2023.

Emmer beat eight candidates to win the nomination. After Emmer dropped out of the bid, another Republican, Mike Johnson, emerged as a strong contender for the role. However, so far, the quest is back to where it was- to nominate someone who'd win the votes of all party representatives. 

Although the fate of Emmer as US House Speaker was determined, one statement solidified it. And that was former president Donald Trump's Truth Social post. The 77-year-old politician wrote, "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,' continued Trump. "He never respected the Power of a Trump Endorsement or the breadth and scope of MAGA—MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" as per Daily Mail. Trump added, "He fought me all the way and spent more time defending Ilhan Omar than he did me." 

"He is out-of-touch with Republican Voters," said Trump. He further targeted, "I believe he has now learned his lesson because he is saying that he is Pro-Trump all the way, but who can ever be sure? Has he only changed because that's what it takes to win?" And finally, declaring, "Voting for a Globalist RINO like Tom Emmer would be a tragic mistake!" 

The reason for Emmer's fallout with Trump could be his vote in favor of Gay Marriage. The 62-year-old favored the Equality Act, which doesn't align with the social conservatives. Also, the twenty-six Republicans who voted against Emmer were pro-Trump, i.e., reflecting the former president's values and beliefs. 

The House suffered after McCarthy was ousted. His exit marked the first time in history that the House removed its speaker. After losing the role, he told reporters, "I fought for what I believe in," adding, "I believe I can continue to fight, but maybe in a different manner," reported Reuters. 

So far, the Republicans have failed to choose a substitute for McCarthy.