Emmer sends ‘Dear Colleague’ letter officially announcing Speaker bid

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) officially announced he has entered the race for Speaker in a “Dear Colleague” letter to members on Saturday morning.

“Our constituents who sent us all to Washington to lead are counting on us to undo the damage Democrats have done and expand our conservative majority. We must come together for the good of the American people and ensure that our best days are ahead,” Emmer said in his letter. “With that, I humbly ask for your support for Speaker of the House and look forward to discussing this in more detail with you in the coming days as we continue our mission to correct the court of our great nation.”

Several GOP members have announced that they are running for the role, while others are spending the weekend making calls about entering the race. Vice Chair Mike Johnson (R-La.) also officially announced he is in the race in a letter to the GOP Saturday morning.

Emmer said he stood with the previous Speaker candidates “because they stepped into the void with the intent and vision to lead and unite us.”

The next nominee will be the third in 17 days after the historic ousting of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) was the GOP’s first nominee, but resistance to his candidacy forced him to drop out a day later.

Republicans voted Friday to no longer back Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) as its second Speaker nominee, after Jordan failed to earn enough votes in his third vote.

Emmer, who previously served as the Chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, will be the highest-ranking lawmaker to jockey for the position after Scalise withdrew.

After 15 rounds of voting to elect McCarthy as Speaker in his first week in the role as Whip, Emmer said that he was prepared to change the minds of the GOP and gather members to work together.

“If given the opportunity to be your Speaker, we will use that same culture of teamwork, communication, and respect to build on the moments that brought us success, learn from our mistakes, and keep fighting for each and every one of you and our Republican majority,” Emmer said in his letter.

His office in the Capitol has reportedly become a gathering place for Republicans throughout the year as they have grappled with internal division.

In his letter to fellow Republicans, Emmer noted that America and Congress are in “uncharted waters,” including an untenable debt and spending crisis, an open border, a crushing economy and weak foreign policy that has enabled terrorism.

“Each week has brought new challenges,” Emmer wrote. “But delivering historic change should not be easy.”

House Republicans are set to meet behind closed doors for their candidate forum on Monday at 6:30 p.m. and then will move toward the third official nomination. The deadline for candidates to file their bids for Speaker is Sunday at noon.