Pro-Broadcasters Backer Emmer Drops Out as House GOP Speaker Nominee
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota dropped out Tuesday as the Republican caucus' nominee for speaker just hours after the conference selected him at the end of five rounds of voting that revealed ongoing divisions within the party. Twenty-six…
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Republicans indicated during the caucus meeting they wouldn’t vote for Emmer on the floor, including 15 who committed to instead back former GOP nominee and Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan of Ohio (see 2310200067). Reports Tuesday afternoon indicated Emmer dropped out of the running after former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that Emmer was a “RINO,” the acronym for “Republican in name only.” Emmer formed the Congressional Broadcasters Caucus in 2020 and last year pressed the FCC to better explain its proposed regulatory fee increase for that industry (see 2208150055). House Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington made the speech nominating the runner-up against Emmer, Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana. House Commerce member Gary Palmer of Alabama (see 2310230061) withdrew as a contender before the Republicans began voting.