GOP lawmaker whose speakership bid got nuked by Trump mocked for endorsing him anyway
Rep. Tom Emmer's (R-MN) dream of becoming speaker of the House of Representatives met an abrupt end this past fall when former President Donald Trump declared him a "RINO," all but torching his bid to win a majority of the Republican caucus.
Despite this personal humiliation, however, Emmer endorsed Trump's bid for the presidency on Wednesday morning.
"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," Emmer wrote in an official statement.
Many of Emmer's followers on Twitter were quick to mock him for the endorsement given Trump's central role in sinking his speakership bid.
"Sucking up to the man who sunk your chance to be speaker," wrote one follower. "What an embarrassment."
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Tim Miller, a former spokesman for the Republican National Committee, similarly mocked Emmer for backing the man who crushed his ambitions.
"Was Tom Emmer -- who was viciously savaged by Trump and his allies during the failed speaker attempt -- wearing a ball gag or a gimp mask when he sent this statement?" he joked. "Need some behind scenes color."
Far-right Trump influencer Laura Loomer rubbed salt in the wound by reminding Emmer about his humiliation at Trump's hands.
"Too bad he didn’t endorse Trump when he was running for Speaker," she wrote. "It took getting digitally b---h slapped by Donald Trump on Truth Social for Emmer to wake up."
Other Emmer followers warned him he'd come to regret his Trump endorsement given the former president's legal troubles.
"The federal government has a 95 percent conviction rate against the people it charges," noted one. "The guy you endorsed is facing four federal crimes. You are going to look very bad in the next year. Hold on tight."