Republicans have again chosen a candidate for speaker.

In a closed vote, Republicans of the US House of Representatives selected Minnesota Congressman Tom Emmer as their candidate for speaker on October 24. They held five rounds of voting to determine the winner. According to the rules, if at the end of the first round none of the candidates receives a majority of votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is automatically eliminated from the race and another round of voting is held. On the fifth try, Politico reported, citing sources, Emmer won 117 votes to 97.

Emmer is the party whip (or party organizer), whose job is to persuade or force members of Congress to vote along the Republican line. He is the third-highest ranking member of the House Republican hierarchy, behind Majority Leader Steve Scalise and Speaker pro tempore Patrick McHenry. In a letter to fellow party members, he called on them to work together to oppose the Democrats and work to expand the “conservative majority.” He serves on the Financial Services Committee and the Republican Steering Committee. Emmer has voted for all military aid packages for Ukraine, including the latest $300 million package in late September. Also, unlike most of his competitors, he voted to approve the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Emmer’s candidacy, according to rumors, did not suit former US President Donald Trump. But before the results of the secret ballot were announced, the former president said he would not support any of the Republicans vying for the title of speaker of the House. Despite publications in the media, Emmer’s associates deny rumors about the congressman’s difficult relationship with the ex-president. Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy spoke for Emmer before he officially entered the race on October 20.

In addition to Emmer, eight other candidates competed for the nomination. Emmer represents mainstream Republicans. Among the losers was Brian Donalds, a representative of the far right wing of the Republican Party, who dropped out of the race after the fourth round of voting.

Now Emmer must win a vote in the House of Representatives. The task is made more difficult by the Republicans’ fragile majority. In order to become speaker, Emmer must secure the support of at least 217 (out of 221) of his party members. He can also enlist the support of Democrats if some Republicans, as happened before, decide to oppose him. But traditionally, Democrats vote almost unanimously for their leader in the House of Representatives. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said on October 24 that Democrats had not discussed the possibility of supporting Emmer at all. After the results of the fifth round were announced, Republicans retreated again for another secret ballot to test Emmer’s chances of being elected speaker. Twenty Republicans voted against him and five abstained. Based on these results, he will be able to develop a strategy. It remains to be seen whether the House of Representatives will be able to hold elections for speaker on October 24.

Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was removed from office in a vote on October 3. The resolution was proposed by his fellow party member and representative of the right wing of the Republican Party, Matt Gaetz. On October 11, following a secret ballot, Republican Steve Scalise won the nomination for Speaker of the House of Representatives, but on October 12 he refused to run. His replacement, Jim Jordan, after three unsuccessful rounds of voting in the House of Representatives, lost the nomination on October 20 as a result of a secret vote of fellow party members.

Of all the candidates, Emmer is perhaps one of the most moderate, says political scientist Jan Veselov. “It is obvious that many conservatives who have previously accused him of insufficient support for Trump will be unhappy with his candidacy,” the expert believes. Emmer won the nomination, but 20 votes against, given the weak advantage of Republicans in the House, shows that he is not yet guaranteed the speakership, Veselov concluded.