WASHINGTON — House Republicans will try again Tuesday to pick a new leader, something they’ve been unable to agree on since Oct. 3.
Monday night in the nation’s capital, the nine contenders for House Speaker, including Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, made their pitches at a closed-door candidate forum.
The scene was chaotic at times inside the Longworth Office Building where the media converged to capture lawmakers on their way into the forum, all trying without much success to get the inside scoop on who has the inside track. There are 221 Republicans in the US House, and it will take 217 of them to elect a speaker. Democrats, thus far, have not been willing to vote a GOP speaker since former Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California was ousted earlier this month.
Rep. Emmer entered the Ways and Means Committee’s hearing room as the frontrunner. Even before becoming Majority Whip last January, Emmer had led the National Republican Congressional Committee. The NRCC is responsible for recruiting candidates, raising money and running campaign ads in local districts in support of their endorsed picks.
When the forum ended Monday evening, Republicans were tight-lipped on who’s the frontrunner now. Emmer’s fellow Minnesotan, Rep. Pete Stauber of Duluth, wouldn’t say who performed the best in the forum. When asked how his pick Emmer measures up against the other eight candidates for Speaker, Rep. Stauber didn’t throw any shade.
“They’re all great! They’re all great. They all have great strengths and they’re all team players, and we need them all to elect a speaker tomorrow.” When asked if he thinks the House can elect a speaker, he said he was absolutely sure if could be done.
When Emmer emerged, there was a mad scramble as the photographers and reporters surrounded him. He made it clear he wasn’t going to stop and talk about things, but sounded an optimistic note as he strolled briskly toward the Longworth Building elevators.
If Tom Emmer were to be elected House Speaker, he’d the first one ever from the state of Minnesota.
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