House GOP leaders close ranks around Trump as No. 3 Republican reveals 2024 support

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Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., the No. 3 House Republican, is backing former President Trump to take back the White House in 2024.

Trump is now heading into the Jan. 15 Iowa caucus with the support of every senior House GOP leader.

"Democrats have made clear they will use every tool in their arsenal to try and keep Joe Biden and his failed policies in power," Emmer said in a statement on Wednesday. "We cannot let them."

He added, "It’s time for Republicans to unite behind our party’s clear frontrunner, which is why I am proud to endorse Donald J. Trump for President."

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House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, left, announced he is supporting former President Trump in the 2024 GOP primary. (Getty Images)

Emmer released another statement later Wednesday morning leading Minnesota’s GOP House delegation which, in addition to him, includes Reps. Michelle Fischbach and Pete Stauber, in endorsing Trump.

It comes a day after House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., also threw his support behind Trump.

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House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., was the first Republican leader in the chamber to endorse the former president, announcing her decision in November 2022. National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chair Richard Hudson, R-N.C., endorsed Trump around that time as well.

Speaker Mike Johnson endorsed former President Trump late last year. (Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., endorsed Trump in November of last year. 

The House Republican leadership’s unity around Trump is the latest sign of his continued reign over the GOP. 

Trump has dominated every major 2024 Republican primary poll so far, and in recent months has narrowly overtaken President Biden in some surveys of the upcoming general election.

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A Fox News poll released Dec. 17 showed Trump with 69% support in the primary race, up 7% from November. 

GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik was among the first national Republicans to endorse former President Trump. (Haiyun Jiang/Bloomberg)

Emmer’s endorsement is also significant given he has had a rockier public relationship with Trump than other House Republican leaders.

Trump and his allies led the charge in derailing Emmer’s bid for House Speaker in October. Trump publicly attacked Emmer as a "RINO" among other accusations on his Truth Social platform.

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Emmer was among the Republicans who voted to certify the 2020 election results, while 147 of his GOP colleagues in the House and Senate did not. 

Trump did, however, endorse Emmer for re-election in 2022, when Emmer was chairman of House Republicans’ campaign arm. He praised Emmer as an "outstanding" representative who was "working hard" on GOP policy goals in a post on Truth Social.