The other candidate viewed as being potentially next in line, Emmer serves as the No. 3 House Republican and was due to run against Hern for majority leader.
Emmer could be a bit less palatable to the right, though, both by virtue of his voting record and having served as McCarthy’s and Scalise’s whip. If the pretty-conservative Scalise couldn’t overcome his time in leadership, why would Emmer? Emmer only took on the new job in January, but the battles of the past nine months would surely loom.
Before that, he was head of the House Republicans’ campaign arm for two cycles. Republicans took the House in 2022 under his leadership, but it was a less-resounding result than many in the party had hoped. Indeed, the lack of a bigger GOP majority is a major reason the party finds itself in this mess.
Emmer also voted against rejecting Joe Biden’s electors on Jan. 6, 2021, which could hurt him with former president Donald Trump. But Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), the man who spearheaded McCarthy’s ouster, has been promoting Emmer for the job for weeks now.
