McCarthy endorsed Emmer as the “best person for the job.”
Some House Republicans who voted to remove former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., appear to be receptive to Majority Whip Tom Emmer running for the gavel.
Emmer is one of six Republicans vying for the speaker’s gavel after the previous contender, Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, failed to garner enough votes.
The majority whip entered Tuesday’s votes with McCarthy’s support, and at least two of the members who ousted the now-former speaker are receptive to Emmer’s candidacy.
A spokeswoman for Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., told Fox News Digital that while the congressman has not publicly endorsed any candidate, he is close to Emmer and voted for the whip on the House floor multiple times during last week’s three rounds of voting.
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Tennessee Republican Rep. Tim Burchett’s spokeswoman told Fox News Digital that, while the congressman has not directly endorsed Emmer, he would vote for any candidate who could garner the 217 votes needed to become speaker, including the whip.
A representative for Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., told Fox News Digital that the congressman will support whoever the Republican nominee is.
The spokeswoman for Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggs told Fox News Digital that the congressman is not publicly stating who he is supporting at the present.
Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida, Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Bob Good of Virginia, and Eli Crane of Arizona did not reply to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
Emmer is presently in the lead in the internal competition, which began voting on Tuesday morning.
On Tuesday morning, the Minnesota Republican received 78 votes, while the closest second candidate, Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., received only 29.
It will most certainly require multiple rounds of voting since, under current House GOP Conference rules, a candidate must gain a conference majority to be appointed speaker-designate.
If no candidate wins a majority during a given round, the individual with the fewest votes is removed from the contest, and another round is held.
It’s questionable whether Emmer will succeed where Jordan and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., failed in uniting the GOP’s disparate factions under his leadership.
“He is the best candidate for the job.” “He can bring the conference together,” McCarthy said of Emmer. “He understands the conference’s dynamics.” He also understands what it takes to secure and maintain a majority.”
Emmer stated that he would employ teamwork, communication, and respect to build on Republicans’ success in regaining the House majority in 2022 and achieving legislative victories.
“Our Conference is still at a fork in the road, and the odds are stacked against us.” “We have no choice but to fight like hell to keep our House majority and deliver on our conservative agenda,” Emmer wrote in a letter to Republican members of Congress on his bid for the speaker’s gavel on Saturday.
The election comes three weeks after McCarthy’s removal from the top office, marking the first time in history that the House of Representatives dismissed their leader in the middle of a legislative term.
