Oct 24, 2023 - Politics & Policy

Tom Emmer drops out of House speaker race

Andrew Solender

Rep. Tom Emmer. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) on Tuesday withdrew his candidacy for House speaker just hours after winning the GOP nomination for the role.

Why it matters: Emmer's decision brings to a stunning end the brief third chapter of the House's three-week speaker vacancy, which has paralyzed the chamber's legislative work.

The backdrop: Emmer narrowly beat conservative Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), the vice chair of the House Republican conference, in a closed-door GOP election Tuesday afternoon.

But a subsequent roll call vote of Republicans showed more than two dozen planned to back someone other than Emmer on the House floor.

Add Axios on Google

Tom Emmer drops out of House speaker race

What to read next