Republican Tom Emmer has been nominated by his party as chairman of the US House of Representatives. The lawyer is considered a critic of former President Trump – and could therefore possibly get votes from the Democrats.
The Republicans in the US House of Representatives have nominated Representative Tom Emmer as their candidate for chairman of the Congressional Chamber. Emmer prevailed against several competitors. According to US media reports, 117 of his party colleagues voted for him.
In order to be elected to the third most important office in the state after president and vice president, Emmer needs an absolute majority among the members of the House of Representatives present. This would probably require 217 votes. Since the Republicans only have a narrow majority there with 221 seats, Emmer can only afford a few dissenters.
Hardliners see him as too critical of Trump
However, some hardliners see the lawyer as too critical of former President Donald Trump and too moderate on issues such as same-sex marriage. But some Democrats might vote for Emmer. The 62-year-old conservative lawyer has represented the US state of Minnesota in the legislative chamber since 2015.
The previous chairman, Kevin McCarthy, was deposed at the beginning of October with the votes of a small group from the right wing of his party, becoming the first chairman of the House of Representatives in US history. His critics had accused him of being too willing to compromise with President Joe Biden.
That followed a dispute over who should replace McCarthy and what direction the party should take in the future. Both parliamentary group leader Steve Scalise and MP Jim Jordan, who was supported by former President Donald Trump, threw in the towel, Jordan only after losing three rounds of voting.