Rep. Jim Jordan is officially off the ballot for Republicans in the U.S. House, when it comes to nominating a speaker.
Although he is popular throughout the country, the House Republican conference voted to drop him as a nominee after he failed to get enough votes for the third time on the House floor on Friday. Rep. Mary Peltola of Alaska voted for radical Democrat Hakeem Jeffries.
Before Jordan, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise also failed to get enough votes, and was pushed aside in favor of Jordan.
Now, three others are eyeing the Republican nomination.
One of them, Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota, has strong ties to Alaska. He has not formally announced he will seek the role as Speaker, but is rumored to be making calls about it.
Emmer is a former chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee and is the current majority whip. He is considered the most likely frontrunner if he does decide to run, and he has former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s endorsement.
Emmer went to college at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where he also played collegiate hockey. He graduated with a B.A. in political science and went on to earn his law degree from the William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minn.
After practicing law for several years, he opened his own law firm. The next 20 years were spent balancing family, business, coaching hockey, and serving on the city councils and in the Minnesota House of Representatives.
Emmer ran for governor of Minnesota and received an endorsement from former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. He was beaten by Democrat Mark Dayton by less than one percentage points.
He still plays recreational hockey and recently led the “Lawmakers” team to a victory over the “Lobbyists” team in Washington, D.C., with three goals scored by Alaska’s own Truman Reed, who is a legislative aide on the Hill.
Also throwing their hats in the ring for Speaker are Oklahoma Rep. Kevin Hern and Louisiana’s Rep. Mike Johnson. Both Hern and Johnson are from resource development states and have strong pro-oil backgrounds. Both have fought against the Biden anti-American energy agenda.
