Republicans selected moderate Representative and House Majority Leader Tom Emmer of Minnesota as their next candidate for the House speaker post, following a three-hour closed-door meeting that involved five other candidates.
However, Emmer is already facing resistance from the most conservative wing of the party, led by former president Donald Trump. In a post on Truth Social, the social network created by Trump Media & Technology Group, the former president stated that although he has many friends interested in the presidency of the Chamber, Tom Emmer is not among them. Trump even claimed that the deputy uses the designation “Republican” only in his name.
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He also expressed displeasure that Emmer never showed respect for his support or the inclusiveness of the “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) motto. Trump wrote that voting for a globalist like Tom Emmer would be a tragic mistake.
To win the position of “speaker,” Emmer needs 217 votes out of the 222 that the Republicans have, as the position has been vacant since October 3, when the radical wing of the party unseated Kevin McCarthy, deputy from California, who was in the presidency. since January. At Tuesday’s meeting, Emmer received 117 votes in the final vote, while House Republican Conference Vice Chairman Mike Johnson of Louisiana received 97 votes. In a subsequent roll call vote, lawmakers indicated that there were still between 20 and 25 Republicans who opposed Emmer.