House Majority Whip Tom Emmer Saturday officially announced his candidacy for the open speaker position, commenting that he's running "to bring our conference together and get back to work."
"The American people elected us to deliver on a conservative agenda that secures our border, stops reckless spending, and holds Joe Biden accountable," the Minnesota Republican said in his announcement, posted on X, formerly Twitter. "We cannot afford to fail them."
Emmer went on to post a statement on his announcement, commenting that in the past 10 months, with a GOP majority in the House, Republicans have "shown what we can accomplish when we come together as a team."
However, he pointed out that with the division in choosing a speaker to replace Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., "Our conference remains at a crossroads and the deck is stacked against us. We have no choice but to fight like hell to hold on to our House majority and deliver on our conservative agenda."
GOP Reps. Steve Scalise of Louisiana and Jim Jordan of Ohio had both been nominated for the speaker spot, but Scalise dropped out before voting took place and Jordan dropped out Friday after he failed to win the gavel in a third round of voting.
Emmer previously said he wouldn't seek the speakership, but would instead try to become House majority leader, the second highest leadership post in the chamber.
McCarthy, who was ousted as speaker earlier this month, said Friday he is endorsing Emmer to become the next speaker, commenting that he is the "right person for the job" and that he could unite the conference.
"He understands the dynamics of the conference," said McCarthy. "He also understands what it takes to win and keep a majority."
Rep. Brad Finstad, R-Minn., also threw his support behind Emmer Friday, reports CBS News.
"I have known Congressman Emmer for more than 20 years since our time serving in the Minnesota Legislature," Finstad said. "From the day that I arrived in Congress, it has been a privilege to work alongside Tom and I have come to truly appreciate him as a mentor and as a friend."
Finstad also noted that House Republicans elected Emmer as majority whip in January and said he's shown "profound leadership" in that role.
"The American people deserve a functioning Congress," said Finstad. "It is my hope that my House colleagues can come together to get this election done, get the House back in order, and get back to working for the American people."
Emmer has had the backing of several other members of Congress, including Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., who voted for him several times in the most recent votes for speaker.
Meanwhile, Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., said he doesn't regret voting to remove McCarthy but suggested Emmer as a replacement.
"Congress cannot do a single thing until my GOP friends choose a new speaker of the House, and it is their choice," Phillips said. "They're in the majority. It is their task; it's their job. We cannot do anything.
"What should we do? We have to support Israel. We have to support Ukraine. It's not just about nations and other countries around the world. This is about an existential threat to freedom and democracy."
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
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