Rep. Tom Emmer, the No. 3 House Republican, making calls about speaker bid

 

Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer, who is the third highest-ranking Republican in the House as majority whip, is making calls about a possible run for speaker, according to a person familiar with his plans. 

CBS Minnesota notes that Emmer earlier declined to seek the speaker's gavel and said he would instead run to become the House majority leader if that role became vacant in a leadership shuffle. 

Rep. Ken Buck, one of the leading anti-Jordan members, supported Emmer as speaker, voting for him in each of the three rounds of voting when Scalise was the nominee.

Who might run for House speaker now?

Soon after the GOP conference dropped Jordan as its speaker nominee, some Republicans began thinking about whether they should take a shot at the speakership.

Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida is mounting a bid, according to a source familiar with his plans. Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma told reporters, "I'm in," and added, "We've got to make a lot of phone calls this weekend." 

Hern had earlier considered running after McCarthy's ouster and said in a letter to colleagues that he "called, texted or met" with all 221 Republicans in the conference to ask what they wanted to see in their next speaker. But he withdrew from the race because he believed a "three-man race for Speaker will only draw this process out longer, creating further division which would make it harder for any candidate to reach 217 votes." 

Rep. Jack Bergman of Michigan also said he was entering the race.

"My hat is in the ring, and I feel confident I can win the votes where others could not. I have no special interests to serve; I'm only in this to do what's best for our Nation and to steady the ship for the 118th Congress," he said in a statement.

Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota, the majority whip, has been floated as a speaker candidate and even received a handful of votes on the floor. When asked Friday afternoon if he were getting into the race, he replied, "Too soon."