‘Not The Guy This Country Needs’: Conservatives Fume Over House GOP’s Speaker Nominee
Mary Lou Masters on October 24, 2023
- Conservatives slammed House Majority Whip Tom Emmer on social media Tuesday following his nomination for speaker.
- Emmer was criticized for not supporting former President Donald Trump, backing an effort to abolish the Electoral College and numerous other controversial House votes.
- “Tom Emmer is not the guy this country needs or wants,” Ryan Fournier, founder of Students For Trump, wrote in a tweet.
Conservatives took to social media following the House GOP’s nomination of Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota for speaker, criticizing his voting record and his lack of support for former President Donald Trump.
Emmer won the GOP nomination in a closed-door secret ballot election after five rounds of voting following the failed candidacies of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan. Despite speaking with Trump over the weekend about his speaker bid, he has declined to endorse the former president, and has previously supported abolishing the Electoral College, along with several other controversial votes and stances that have prompted conservative backlash on his nomination.
“Tom Emmer must NEVER become Speaker of the House,” Brigitte Gabriel, founder of grassroots organization ACT For America, wrote in a tweet following the nomination.
“Tom Emmer is not the guy this country needs or wants,” Ryan Fournier, founder of Students For Trump, wrote in a tweet. “BYRON DONALDS FOR SPEAKER!”
Emmer refused to endorse Trump’s reelection bid in comments to CNN’S Manu Raju on Monday evening. The majority whip also voted to certify the 2020 election results, and previously worked for National Popular Vote, an organization that supports ending the Electoral College.
Trump slammed Emmer for being a Republican-In-Name-Only (RINO) in a Truth Social post after his nomination.
“I have many wonderful friends wanting to be Speaker of the House, and some are truly great Warriors. RINO Tom Emmer, who I do not know well, is not one of them. He never respected the Power of a Trump Endorsement, or the breadth and scope of MAGA—MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!,” Trump wrote. “He fought me all the way, and actually spent more time defending Ilhan Omar, than he did me—He is totally out-of-touch with Republican Voters. I believe he has now learned his lesson, because he is saying that he is Pro-Trump all the way, but who can ever be sure? Has he only changed because that’s what it takes to win?”
Amy Kremer, chair of Women for America First, listed five reasons why she believes members shouldn’t vote for Emmer in a tweet following his nomination — “Advocate for the National Popular Vote,” “Liberty Score – D,” “Former Chair of NRCC & helped defeat MAGA candidates,” “He’s not the change we need & is another big spending Cartel member working for lobbyists & spec interests” and “He’s never Trump.”
Conservative podcaster Joey Mannarino slammed Emmer in a number of tweets following his nomination, as well as on Monday for refusing to endorse Trump following their phone call over the weekend.
Emmer voted for the Respect for Marriage Act in July of 2022, which codified same sex marriage. The majority whip also voted for sending $300 million to Ukraine and the 47-day continuing resolution to temporarily fund the government in late September, as well as the Fiscal Responsibilities Act in May to avoid defaulting on the nation’s debt.
Georgia GOP Rep. Rick Allen told CNN’s Manu Raju that he is “very concerned” about Emmer’s vote for same sex marriage, and said there is no way he will support his speakership bid on the floor.
If Tom Emmer wins the speakers nomination, can he get 217 on the floor?
One member, Rick Allen, tells me here he’s a NO on Emmer over his vote to codify same-sex marriage.
Speaker nominee can only lose four GOP votes on floor if all members vote for candidate pic.twitter.com/uEvQl2VxvH— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 24, 2023
Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana told reporters following the vote that he will “never vote for Emmer. He’s not a conservative. There’s a lot of opposition in the room.”
“Tom Emmer is the WORST kind of Republican: The kind that secretly identifies as DEMOCRAT. And when they force him through on us, it will be yet another indication that we don’t just need a ‘3rd party,’” Ann Vandersteel, host of “Right Now,” wrote in a tweet. “We need a NEW 2ND PARTY. Is it asking too much to have a Speaker who is against: OPEN BORDERS? ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION? MULTIPLE WARS THAT WE HAVE TO PAY FOR? It SHOULDN’T be, considering we pay ENORMOUS taxes for just that privilege. Who’s with me?”
Fox News contributor Leo Terrell slammed Emmer for being a RINO in a tweet Monday evening, insisting he shouldn’t be speaker.
“I do NOT want Tom Emmer as Speaker of the House. I will do everything possible to stop him from becoming Speaker. He is a big time RINO. I do not like RINOS,” Terrell wrote.
GOP fundraiser Caroline Wren called on Emmer to drop out of the speakers race following his nomination Tuesday, arguing he won’t have the support on the floor, and slammed the majority whip on Monday for being “anti-Trump.”
“Jim Jordan’s opposition was 20, 22, then 25 on the floor vote. Tom Emmer (R-Ukraine) already at 26+ no’s. Emmer should do the right thing and drop out for the good of the Party,” Wren wrote.
The majority whip was one of nine House Republicans vying for the speaker nomination. It is not clear whether Emmer has the votes to secure the gavel as 26 GOP members voted against him in a roll call vote.
Emmer did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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