The circle jerk that is the race to be Speaker of the House has taken yet another twist.

As of this morning’s double-double super secret balloting among Congressional Republicans, out of the 7 candidates who made themselves available, House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) found himself victorious on the 5th go-round. He was duly declared the party’s choice for Speaker.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer won the nomination for Speaker of the House on Tuesday after five rounds of votes.

Republicans were voting by secret ballot until they were able to get to a candidate who received a simple majority of the conference votes. After each round of votes, the member who received the lowest numbers was eliminated.

That’s about as long as the good feelings lasted before the knives came out across the breadth of the party, from X tweets to Congressional colleagues.

The objections to Emmer came flying in so fast, people were ducking behind couches.

Rep. Tom Emmer:

-Democrats want him to be Speaker
-Wants to nuke the electoral college
-Voted to certify the 2020 election
-Voted for every Ukraine aid bill
-Defended Rep. Ilhan Omar
-Has a 69% Liberty Score
-Anti-MAGA movement

If this is the best Republicans have to offer,…

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) October 24, 2023

From the Republican base, the most important “NO” is Emmer’s staunch support for a “National Popular Vote.” In other words, like many liberals, he wants to nuke the Electoral College and get on with a national popularity contest, as opposed to voting as our Republic was designed. Where even little states count.

The NPV movement has allegedly found favor – and backing – from George Soros. That’s also another reason they were giving this guy the side-eye. Anything connected with Archenemy Number One is sincerely bad juju for a Republican, less mind a speaker.

US HOUSE SPEAKER RACE: Rep. Tom Emmer has been a major proponent of eliminating the Electoral College and implementing a “National Popular Vote.”

The Soros-backed “NPV” campaign would allow states to circumvent the Electoral College by choosing their electors based on the… pic.twitter.com/07VHteXW4B

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) October 21, 2023

Myself? I am suspicious of anything and anyone out of that neck of the woods when it comes to a power position like that. I’m still suffering from PTRS – Post Traumatic Ryan Syndrome, and I’ll apologize to no one for it.

One kiss of death after another followed the announcement of his victory.

FL Rep. Anna Luna is a strong NO against Tom Emmer

This freshman Congresswoman has been a steady voice for GOP voters the entire year https://t.co/P15QmIHrxk

— DC_Draino (@DC_Draino) October 24, 2023

Democrats found him to be the “least objectionable” – that was not an assist to Emmer’s campaign by any stretch.

If this happens the GOP is finished and everyone who votes for Emmer is dead to me. pic.twitter.com/7pOlm5oBnl

— Raheem. (@RaheemKassam) October 24, 2023

But everything paled against the coup de grâce delivered on Truth Social this afternoon. Rep Emmer might be a lovely human being and a terrific congressman for his constituents…

#WaveGoodbyeTom

🚨 BREAKING: Donald Trump speaks out against the nomination of Tom Emmer for Speaker pic.twitter.com/r207sgN8Rd

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 24, 2023

…but when the 800lb gorilla weighs in, it’s all over but the crying.

Coinciding with Trump’s torpedo, 26 of Emmer’s fellow GOP House members said they wouldn’t vote for him…period.

Well, I suppose, if anything positive comes this it is that the RNC gets a better understanding that their base is pissed off.

I can hope.

— Charles X Proxy™ (@Charlemagne0814) October 24, 2023

Bowing to the inevitable, Rep Emmer withdrew.

BREAKING.🚨

Tom Emmer, the GOP's pick to replace Kevin McCarthy as Speaker, has dropped out of the race after Donald Trump opposed his candidacy.

"It looked like he didn’t have the math… Just a few minutes ago, Emmer bolted out here with some of his colleagues, didn’t say a… pic.twitter.com/BLibB4AVVu

— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) October 24, 2023

…”It looked like he didn’t have the math… Just a few minutes ago, Emmer bolted out here with some of his colleagues, didn’t say a word to the cameras, and that’s about the time we learned that he had disclosed in the room that he was going be dropping out of the Speaker’s race.”

“He no longer saw a path. I think there was some acknowledgement that Donald Trump opposition to him was going to make this perhaps untenable.”

“Some of the opposition that started the day sort of softly opposed it, Tom Emmer was going to have a very difficult time backing out…”

Emmer has been criticized for supporting the abolition of the Electoral College, his unwavering support for Ukraine funding, defending Ilhan Omar, and vocally criticizing MAGA supporters…

Here we are again. Who’s left with chairs?

While there’s no word if the fall aways like Hern, Bergman, et al, will rejoin the fray, the two front runners appear to be familiar faces.

Mike Johnson and Byron Donalds have both proven themselves to be fine conservatives while serving in Washington.

Either would be a massive improvement over McCarthy, Scalise, and Emmer.

Get one of them across the line. pic.twitter.com/cRMOHe1CIP

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) October 24, 2023

But as some people are pointing out, with no Speaker, Congress isn’t screwing anything up or spending any money, either.

What a shame that can’t carry on for a little longer.

They’re starting the music again tonight.

The latest: House Republicans are poised to hold another secret-ballot vote to nominate a new speaker candidate at 8 p.m. ET. They’re currently holding a candidate forum to hear from those vying for the gavel.

*sigh*

UPDATE: Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle, this is a YUGE surprise, at least to me. I thought for sure Donalds would be in dukin’-it-out territory and on the first ballot tonight? It’s not even close.

And full tally w/ @sarahnferris

Johnson 85
Donalds 32
Other 31
Green 23
Williams 21
Fleischmann 10
Present 2

— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) October 25, 2023

UPDATE REDUX: And Mike Johnson of LA wins the Speaker Designate prize. He also got all yeas with just a few “presents,” no “nays.” Vote is set for this afternoon.

He’s one of the group that voted to oust McCarthy, definitely to the right of him, and seems to be pretty popular. We’ll see how it shakes out this afternoon.

Here’s a taste of him grilling FBI Director Wray:

Here is a preview of your potential next House Speaker grilling the daylights out of FBI Director Chris Wray on Big Tech censoring conservatives on social media.

Thoughts?pic.twitter.com/lhgrER6i0K

— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) October 25, 2023