Emmer plots path to speakership as possible successor to Scalise

Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) is eyeing a possible path to the speakership after former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) announced he would not seek the office again, according to multiple sources familiar with the situation.

In the hours after McCarthy told GOP members he would stand down after his historic ouster, Emmer began calling other House Republicans to start gauging support to run as House majority leader, multiple sources confirmed to the Washington Examiner. Emmer pitched himself for the position currently held by Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), considered a top contender to become the next speaker.

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However, in those conversations, Emmer left the door open for a possible eventual run as House speaker should Scalise be chosen as McCarthy’s successor. He specifically cited Scalise’s health concerns as a reason the Louisiana Republican may not want to hold the speakership for very long, multiple sources familiar with the conversations said.

The conversations come one month after Scalise announced his diagnosis of the blood cancer known as multiple myeloma. The Louisiana Republican has since begun chemotherapy treatments while still serving as majority leader but is now often seen wearing a mask and taking other precautions because of his health.

Scalise is reportedly considering a bid to become speaker, and several House members have called the majority leader to pledge their support, a source familiar confirmed to the Washington Examiner. Several lawmakers — including Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who introduced the motion to vacate McCarthy — have said they’d support Scalise should he run.

Emmer was floated as an early name to run as speaker shortly after Gaetz filed a motion to vacate McCarthy from the speaker’s chair. However, the majority whip denied having any interest, saying at the time he would support McCarthy.

People close to Emmer’s thinking confirmed he had begun considering a run as majority leader but denied that the majority whip had many comments about Scalise’s health concerns or any interest in running for speaker.

“Steve Scalise has been a friend for a long time, and he would be a great speaker,” Emmer said on Tuesday.

However, after McCarthy announced on Tuesday that he would take himself out of the running, Republicans began scouring their House conference for possible options to take control of the lower chamber.

The Texas GOP delegation is set to host a lunch on Wednesday to vet possible options, with Scalise and Emmer expected as guests, according to several sources familiar. Other options, such as Rep. Kevin Hern (R-OK), are also expected to join.

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The House is at a standstill until it elects a new leader, as lawmakers cannot complete any legislation business until a speaker is elected. House Republicans plan to hold a candidate forum on Tuesday to consider nominees, with the first speakership election vote expected the following Wednesday.

“We’re going to have a real contest to see who the best person is,” said Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), who was one of eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy. “We will absolutely choose a speaker with 218 [votes]. Now, does it take a couple of days? I don’t know. A couple hours? I don’t know. But we’re gonna have a speaker that’s chosen by the body.”