Emmer bows out, throwing House Speaker race back into chaos

Just a few hours after he had won the GOP nomination to be Speaker of the House of Representatives, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minnesota) has bowed out of the race due to opposition from a cohort of a few dozen right-wing Republicans as well as former President Donald Trump.

New Jersey’s three Republican representatives – Reps. Tom Kean Jr. (R-Westfield), Chris Smith (R-Manchester), and Jeff Van Drew (R-Dennis) – were not among the Republicans who blocked Emmer from the speakership.

The contest to succeed Emmer as speaker-designee is already back on, with a candidate forum scheduled for tonight. Van Drew said that he’s backing Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana), who was the runner-up to Emmer in this morning’s vote, though the South Jersey congressman has been consistent about supporting whoever the caucus nominates, regardless of whether he originally supported them or not.

“People are getting tired, but people have to keep moving forward,” Van Drew said. “I think Mike has the opportunity to do this.”

Johnson is one of six candidates in the running, alongside Reps. Kevin Hern (R-Oklahoma), Byron Donalds (R-Florida), Mark Green (R-Tennessee), Roger Williams (R-Texas), and Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tennessee); Hern and Donalds also ran in this morning’s contest against Emmer and tied for third place.

Whoever is ultimately nominated will have to overcome the pitfalls that have sunk four candidates before them, starting with ousted Speaker Kevin McCarthy. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-Louisiana), Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), and Emmer have all tried to unite their caucus, and all have failed.

Could Van Drew himself ever join that list of speaker hopefuls?

“Never,” he said. “I have strong beliefs in things, and I don’t want to fly around the country raising money to the level that you have to to do that. But I’ve been asked by a few people, and that’s very nice.”