Tom Emmer (R., Minn.) will be the next House GOP whip — the third-ranking position in the House Republican caucus. The race for GOP whip, in which Emmer faced off against Jim Banks (R., Ind.) and Drew Ferguson (R., Ga.), was widely regarded to be the most consequential of the genuinely competitive House GOP leadership races. The caucus vote, which occurred behind closed doors just now, went for Banks by relatively slim margins in the first round:
VOTE count:
Banks: 82
Emmer: 72
Ferguson: 71— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) November 15, 2022
Moving into the second round, House Republicans who backed Ferguson were split between Banks and Emmer. The final tally was 115 votes for Emmer, 106 for Banks.
Going into Election Night, Emmer and Banks were widely regarded as the two front-runners. The GOP’s dismal showing in the midterms made Emmer, who currently serves as the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), the subject of criticism. That, as well as Emmer’s unreliable record on some social issues, make Emmer a far less palatable candidate for whip than his two opponents. But his sway in the House GOP caucus has prevailed.