WASHINGTON – The third highest-ranking member of the U.S. House, Tom Emmer, of Minnesota, has changed his mind about running for the Number One spot.  Emmer began working the phones to garner support among the embarrassingly fractured GOP House membership the vacant House speakership. He also sent a letter to colleague. His goal, he said, was “to bring our conference together and get back to work.” The House has been dead in the water for three weeks after an extremist wing engineered the removal of Kevin McCarthy as speaker. As House majority whip, Emmer is in charge of organizing other Republicans to pass key legislation. He has lots of contacts. He previously chaired the National Republican Congressional Committee, the fundraising arm of House Republicans. Since changing his mind about seeking the speakership, Emmer has been endorsed by McCarthy. In the early rounds of voting, Ken Buck of Colorado voted for Emmer, but there was no groundwell of support. Interestingly Representative Dean Phillips, a Democrat and a fellow Minnesotan, now has suggested Emmer .Even so, Emmer has detractors. Trump supporters remember that he did not vote against certifying the 2020 presidential election results shortly after the January 6 riot.

Earlier: How they voted: On House speakership /3

Earlier: Emmer on House GOP leadership vacuum: Not me

Earlier: Could it be Minnesota’s Phillips v. Biden?

House leadership

Speaker of House: Administers House business. Third in succession to the U.S. president after the vice president. Almost always from the majority party, although need not even be a House member.  Elected by whole House in open session, which currently means a 217-vote majority.

Majority leader: Second in House leadership. Represents the majority party on the House floor. Elected by the majority party in closed session.

House whip: Third in House leadership. Assists majority leadership in managing legislation by tracking and organizing votes. Elected by the majority party in closed session.

Candidates: After three failed attempts to elect a new speaker, these Republicans have put themselves forward: Jack Berman, of Michigan; Byron Donalds, Florida; Tom Emmer, Minnesota; Kevin Hern, Oklahoma; Mike Johnson, Louisiana; Dan Meuser, Pennsylvania; Gary Palmer, Alabama; Austin Scott, Georgia; and Pete Sessions, Texas.

Nil prospects. Pretty much eliminated after failed votes: Jim Jordan, of Ohio; Kevin McCarthy, California; and Steve Scalise Louisiana.