Emmer wins GOP speakership nomination on fifth ballot

Tom Emmer won the House GOP’s speakership nomination after a grueling set of secret ballots Tuesday, teeing up his next and more challenging task — winning on the floor.

The Republican whip secured a majority of the conference, according to two people familiar with the tally. But there are still significant doubts that the Minnesotan has the near-unanimous GOP support needed to secure the gavel from the full House.

Emmer, the highest-ranking House Republican in the race, worked quickly to lock up support after the conference blocked Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan’s (R-Ohio) bid for the gavel. Now, Emmer will need to win over his own group of holdouts if he wants to avoid being the third speaker nominee to go down after the ouster of ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy.