A Top Contender in Speaker's Race Has a Trump Problem

If you're tired of reading stories about the House's inability to elect a speaker, you are not alone. A USA Today survey suggests that 67% of Americans want the House to put a speaker in place ASAP. The sentiment is bipartisan, though more pronounced among Democrats, with 86% of them wanting a speaker in place quickly, compared with 57% of Republicans and 59% of independents. "How often do you see Democrats, Republicans, and independents agree on anything in DC?" said David Paleologos of Suffolk University, which conducted the poll with the newspaper. Without a speaker, the House cannot conduct business, and a Nov. 17 deadline looms for a government shutdown.

So what's next in the speaker's race? The House Republican conference will meet Monday evening to vet multiple candidates before conducting a secret ballot on Tuesday morning, per the Hill. It's possible the full House could vote later Tuesday. One of the more prominent candidates is House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota, though Politico notes he has a big hurdle: Former President Trump has made it clear he does not want Emmer in the post. "He's openly hostile to Trump, which isn't helpful since Trump will be the nominee," an anti-Emmer member of Congress tells the outlet. "Even if he gets the majority of the majority, he will come far short for members who won't vote for him on the floor." (More speaker of the House stories.)