As RedState previously reported, the House GOP on Tuesday voted for Tom Emmer to be their next speaker nominee after the conference failed to rally behind previous candidates Steve Scalise and Jim Jordan.

In the quest for the almighty 217 votes needed to secure the speaker's gavel, the conference has been trying to lock down those votes from within their own party, with rather unsuccessful results to date. The alternative is having to work with Democrats to elect a Republican speaker, which would only further weaken the GOP's already tenuous grasp on the House. 

Emmer's name has been in the mix for speaker in the three weeks since Kevin McCarthy was sent packing by the Matt Gaetz wing of the House GOP. He garnered one vote on both of the Jordan ballots, with his support coming from fellow Republican Ken Buck. 

Emmer's emergence as the post-Jordan designee had many people asking if Donald Trump would offer his thoughts on the situation. Emmer, after all, was one of the seven GOP House members who voted to certify the 2020 election, thus incurring Trump's wrath.

The former president took to Truth Social today to make his feelings about Emmer clear, writing: "He never respected the Power of a Trump Endorsement, or the breadth and scope of MAGA-MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump questioned whether Emmer could be counted on to support Trump in the future, concluding, "The Republican Party cannot take that chance because that's not where the America First Voters are. Voting for a Globalist RINO like Tom Emmer would be a tragic mistake."

TRUMP issues attack against Emmer at critical time — just after he gets nomination and is working to nail down votes to get enough support for a floor vote.

Calls him a “RINO” - Republican in Name Only - on Truth Social pic.twitter.com/sIzKXjPEmr

— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) October 24, 2023

Trump's guy in the House was always Kevin McCarthy. The second it seemed likely that Republicans would take over the House following last year's midterm election, Trump endorsed McCarthy for speaker, writing: “Kevin McCarthy has my Complete and Total Endorsement." There was speculation at the time that the two had struck a mutually beneficial agreement: Trump endorses McCarthy, McCarthy helps Trump's campaign in McCarthy's home state of California.

The fragile thread that connected Trump to McCarthy seems to have frayed, with McCarthy throwing his support behind Emmer becoming the next speaker, saying:

“I believe Tom Emmer, our whip; he’s been in the room with all of our successes, from our bills to secure the border, from Parents Bill of Rights, from cutting $2 trillion getting work requirements; he knows how to do the job across the street at the same time, helping us win the majority,” he said.

“He sets himself, head and shoulders, above all those others who want to run. We need to get him elected this week, and move on, and bring not just party together; but focus on what this country needs most,” he continued.

The fallout of the Trump-Emmer divide remains to be seen. Trump can't always get his favored candidates elected, but he certainly can throw big roadblocks in the way of his opponents. And Trump has friends in the House — some call them the MAGA wing of the GOP — lawmakers that will likely vote against Emmer, thus making the slog to 217 votes that much harder.

The House Republican Conference is expected to meet again late Tuesday afternoon.