It took only a matter of hours for the freshest GOP nominee for U.S. Speaker of the House to withdraw his candidacy after House Republicans made quick work out of raising support to nominate him.
Rep. Tom Emmer, the House Majority Whip and current representative for the 6th District of Minnesota, just dropped out of the speaker’s race Tuesday after winning a simple majority behind closed doors.
Emmer, 62, is a longtime Congress member. After spending several years practicing law, he was first elected to his seat in the House in 2015 and is currently serving his fifth consecutive term.
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During his time in public office, Emmer has voted to give federal protections to same-sex marriage and to advance spending bills, according to The Hill.
He represents counties surrounding the city of Minneapolis, where George Floyd was murdered in 2020. Emmer stated he was encouraged to launch an investigation into Floyd’s death, but also denounced the public unrest that followed calling it “violence and turmoil carried out under the pretext of protest.”
Jacquie and I extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of George Floyd. His life was inexcusably cut short, and those responsible must be held accountable. I was encouraged by the swift steps taken by the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to initiate an investigation into Mr. Floyd’s death. All Minnesotans deserve a full investigation of this terrible act.
Unfortunately, this tragedy has also spurned further violence and turmoil, carried out under the pretext of protest. These acts do not honor Mr. Floyd’s memory. Already struggling to stay afloat during this time of crisis, Minnesotans must now grapple with needless destruction of their communities.
As we have learned more information about this week’s historically tragic events, I have become deeply disappointed by the abdication of leadership at the state and local levels….
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